CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Government's commitment to remove the disqualification of Irish nationals from senior Civil Service posts.

John Hutton: The Government are committed to removing the disqualification of Irish and other non UK-European economic area nationals from certain civil service posts a soon as a legislative opportunity allows.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Bribery

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on theobservations and recommendations in the OECD Phase 2 report on the United Kingdom's Application of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and the 1997 Recommendation on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions.

Ian Pearson: On its publication in March, the Government welcomed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) phase 2 report's recognition of the
	highest level of transparency, professionalism and cooperation"
	which the UK showed during the review process. The Attorney-General, many Government departments, law enforcement agencies, parliamentarians and others made a great effort to ensure that the OECD examiners had access to all those with an interest in our anti-bribery framework.
	Bribery of any official or 'agent' are long standing crimes under UK law and since 2002 our courts have had jurisdiction over acts of bribery by UK nationals and companies even if the acts take place entirely overseas. Against this background the OECD Bribery Working Group concluded in 2003 that
	UK law now addresses the requirements of the convention".
	The latest report commends the UK for other aspects of our anti-bribery framework, such as employee whistleblower protection, the ability of the tax authorities to make spontaneous disclosures of suspicious information to law enforcement agencies and the wide scope of the regulated sector" in our anti-money-laundering reporting regime.
	The report also notes the support the Government have provided to a number of private sector and civil society anti-corruption initiatives, e.g. Transparency International's Business Principles on Countering Bribery, the International Business Leaders' Forum and the Commonwealth Business Council.
	As is customary with these reports, it also presents recommendations for further action. These focus on areas such as awareness-raising and the prevention and detection of foreign bribery. We are considering how best to take these forward and will report on progress to the OECD Bribery Working Group in December.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the counter-narcotics programme in Afghanistan.

Kim Howells: The UK, as lead nation, remains committed to supporting the Afghan Government in the implementation of their comprehensive National Drug Control Strategy. We are working with the Afghan Government and others to increase activity in all areas of their strategy over the coming year—the principles of which were underlined by President Karzai during the first Afghan Counter Narcotics National Conference held at the beginning of December shortly after his inauguration. President Karzai has continued to make very clear his determination to tackle the drugs problem. He reinforced this determination when he met my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in February. We welcome the commitment shown by President Karzai and the Government of Afghanistan in tackling this problem.
	As well as co-ordinating the activity of international partners, the UK is providing substantial financial and practical support—the UK will spend more than £50 million this year on counter narcotics work in Afghanistan, including £30 million on Alternative Livelihoods.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my hon. Friend, the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 10 March 2005, Official Report, columns 121–23WS on Afghanistan: Counter Narcotics. The statement outlined increased UK support for the Government of Afghanistan's 8-pillar 2005 Counter Narcotics Implementation Plan (Institution Building, Information Campaign, Alternative Livelihoods, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Eradication, Demand Reduction and Regional Co-operation). Our activity in the last financial year included: the running of seven training courses on intelligence and investigation techniques for the Afghan Counter-Narcotics Police; support for over five major seizures of opiates; the provision of a mobile forensic laboratory; and help to establish regional law enforcement offices in seven provincial centres outside Kabul.
	In addition, the UK works closely with Afghanistan's neighbours, including providing assistance, to help their efforts to counter the flow of opiates from Afghanistan.
	The UK is currently pressing for specific commitments from partners following a joint Foreign Secretary and International Development Secretary lobby letter campaign in February. We want to solicit funds for the Counter Narcotics Trust Fund (CNTF), in support of the Afghans' Counter Narcotics Implementation Plan.

Belarus

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Belarus concerning the proceedings by the state authorities against the New Life Church in Minsk.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 26 May 2005
	The Government continue to raise human rights issues with the Belarusian authorities, both bilaterally and together with EU partners. Most recently, the EU issued a statement on 19 May condemning the use of administrative regulations to restrict the activities of independent organisations such as the New Life Church. The statement called on the Belarusian Government to reconsider legislation which threatens the existence of these organisations and denies the population the right to freedom of association. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not made any separate representations concerning the New Life Church. However, our ambassador in Minsk has met with the leaders of the Church to hear their concerns.
	The full text of the EU statement is available on the internet at www.eu2005.lu

EU Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held between departmental staff from the (a) EU Constitution team and (b) EU Presidency team within his Department and the organisation Britain in Europe.

Douglas Alexander: Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office meet a wide number of outside organisations in the course of their work. The EU Constitution team held meetings with Britain in Europe in October 2004 and May 2005. The EU Presidency team also held one meeting with Britain in Europe in autumn 2004 to provide background information on the work of the UK Presidency of the EU.

EU Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests he has made to (a) the European Commission, (b) the European Parliament and (c) other EU institutions regarding its expenditure on public information before and during the referendum on the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Douglas Alexander: The Institutions of the European Union are responsible for their own activities in terms of providing information to the public, though they have made clear that they will consult the Government about any public information activities in the UK. Ministers and officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are in contact with EU institutions in order to ensure clarity of and continuing respect for the role of the institutions in providing information about the EU.

EU Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what mechanisms information from EU institutions on the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe will be assessed against the criteria of objectivity and accuracy (a) before and (b) during the referendum on UK ratification.

Douglas Alexander: EU institutions, not the Government, are responsible for the content of their publications.

North Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will change the advice on the Foreign Office website to advise UK nationals against purchasing properties in occupied North Cyprus where the original owner of the land was a Greek Cypriot. [R]

Douglas Alexander: The Government already advise potential purchasers of property in north Cyprus that the non-recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" and the possibility of a future political settlement in Cyprus could have significant practical, financial and legal consequences. We strongly encourage potential buyers to seek independent, qualified legal advice and we also highlight the risk that purchasers could face legal proceedings in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus.
	The travel advice is regularly reviewed and amended in response to changing circumstances on the island. However, it is not the place of the Government to intervene in private commercial transactions.

Nuclear Power Conference

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who represented the UK at the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power for the 21st Century, in Paris on 21 and 22 March; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: This conference is one of a number organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to discuss nuclear issues. We did not attend on this occasion, although the UK is regularly represented at IAEA conferences. For example, we recently hosted the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security in March 2005.

Public Relations

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the events that have been organised by the public relations company Geronimo as part of its contract with his Department; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the company in generating media coverage.

Douglas Alexander: Geronimo PR assisted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the planning and promotion of five ministerial visits to different UK regions. Evaluation of their work will take place in due course.

Public Relations

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list events that the public relations company Trimedia Communications has organised as part of its contract with his Department; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the company in generating media coverage.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has recruited Trimedia Communications UK to provide media relations support during our EU Presidency to ensure an appropriate range of media are informed about the Presidency. No events have been planned and the results of Trimedia's work will not be available until the end of the Presidency. At that point Trimedia are required to provide an evaluation report.
	In April 2005, the FCO also recruited Trimedia to provide media and public relations support for the FCO's consular awareness/travel safety campaign Know Before You Go". Recently, Trimedia brokered an agreement with BritishLions.com (the official website of Lions' fans) for the communication of online consular and travel safety messages to rugby fans visiting New Zealand for the British and Irish Lions' Tour. This is the first public facing initiative undertaken by Trimedia on our behalf and is on-going. It would be premature to comment on the company's effectiveness in generating media coverage at this stage. Trimedia are however required to demonstrate their effectiveness against targets laid down by the FCO and the Central Office of Information, through whom this contract was tendered.

Russia

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will ensure that human rights and democracy issues are a central focus of EU-Russian relations when the UK assumes the EU presidency; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: As agreed in the EU-Russia Four Common Spaces on 10 May, democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including a free and independent media, and the effective application of common values by independent judicial systems are all key elements of the EU-Russia relationship. The UK will ensure that these issues remain central to the development of EU-Russian relations as it takes forward implementation of the Four Common Spaces during its presidency of the EU.

Russia

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Russian Government on international fair trial standards in the trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We have been following the trial closely. Our embassy staff have attended court hearings and the Russian authorities are aware of our concerns. We believe that Russia's people, and Russia's future, are best served by a judicial system properly independent of Government or other outside interference; a system which administers justice consistently, transparently and objectively.
	We welcome President Putin's words in his address on 25 April on the importance of an effective judicial system and, together with our EU partners, continue to make clear to the Russian Government our concern that the rule of law should be applied in a non-discriminatory and proportional way. We raised our concerns about the Russian judicial system as recently as 23 May during our regular bilateral human rights dialogue which was held in Moscow.

Saharawi Human Rights Activists

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Saharawi human rights activists concerning protection of their rights within MINURSO.

Kim Howells: Human rights issues are outside the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). UK officials meet Saharawi human rights groups when they visit the Western Sahara and will continue to do so.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan, regarding the forced relocations of internally displaced persons in the Sorba Arabi Camp, Khartoum.

Ian Pearson: On 19 May, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development issued a statement expressing the UK's grave concern about the deaths of three civilians and 14 police officers in Soba Aradi Internally Displaced People's (IDP) camp in Khartoum, (available at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/pressreleases/bennsoba-sudan.asp).
	My right hon. Friend called on all sides to prevent any further loss of life and urged the Government of Sudan to respect the human rights of the IDPs, protect its citizens and bring those responsible to justice. Our ambassador in Khartoum has also raised the incident with the Government of Sudan and pressed them to investigate the incident in consultation with the Joint National Transition Team under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and to take the necessary steps to prevent a recurrence.
	We have repeatedly made clear to the Government of Sudan that all returns and relocations must be entirely voluntary and take place in full consultation with the established international monitoring mechanisms which are in place.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of civil society from Southern Sudan concerning the peace process in the country.

Ian Pearson: A member of the British High Commission in Nairobi now spends much of his time in Southern Sudan. He and other UK government officials discuss the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with members of civil society, and others in Southern Sudan. We have also provided £1.2 million to Pact, a non-government organisation supporting the emergence of an active civil society in South Sudan.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Government of Sudan, and (b) the Sudan People's Liberation Army and Sudan People's Liberation Movement on ending all support for the Lord's Resistance Army in Southern Sudan and Northern Uganda.

Ian Pearson: We regularly raise the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) with both the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). Since 2001, the Government of Sudan has been co-operating with the Government of Uganda on this issue and has allowed Ugandan armed forces into its territory in pursuit of LRA fighters. Following representations by the UK Government to both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM, this agreement was renewed on 15 May. Both sides have reiterated their commitment, under the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed on 9 January, to work together to disarm, repatriate or expel foreign insurgency groups, including the LRA.

Uzbekistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations on behalf of the Uzbek Baptist Minister Farkhod Khamedov.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 26 May 2005
	We are disturbed by reports of religious intolerance and persecution in Uzbekistan. Discrimination, harassment and criminal prosecutions of Muslims, as well as harassment of religious minorities, including Protestant Christians such as Mr. Khamedov, remain commonplace.
	We regularly raise these issues with the Uzbek authorities. In March 2005 our ambassador to Tashkent discussed Uzbekistan's record on religious freedom with Deputy Foreign Minister Nematov. As we have made clear to the Uzbek authorities, we believe that constraints on religious freedoms contribute significantly to the radicalisation of Islamic opinion.

Western Sahara

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compliance of decisions to review reconnaissance contracts for oil and gas in the Western Sahara with the UN embargo on oil and gas activity in that country.

Kim Howells: The Government regard the sovereignty of Western Sahara as undetermined pending United Nations efforts to find a solution to the dispute over the territory. UN Legal Counsel gave an opinion on the signing of contracts for exploration of mineral resources in Western Sahara in 2002 (S/2002/161 of 12 February 2002). This concluded that, while the contracts in question
	are not in themselves illegal, if further exploration and exploitation activities were to proceed in disregard of the interests and wishes of the people of Western Sahara, they will be in violation of the international law principles applicable to mineral resource activities in Non-Self-Governing Territories."
	We fully support this advice.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum and Immigration

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the process by which those who fail to be granted refugee status have their status in the UK determined thereafter.

Tony McNulty: When an asylum claimant is found by the Immigration and Nationality not to be a refugee within the meaning of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees, caseworkers will go on to consider whether a grant of Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave is appropriate under our published policies. Where a claimant qualifies for Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave, limited leave will be granted for a period of up to three years. Those who are found not to be in need of international protection and have no other basis of stay would be expected to leave the United Kingdom, subject to the outcome of any appeal. If a claim is certified as clearly unfounded, then any appeal could only be brought from abroad; otherwise the claimant would be entitled to remain in the United Kingdom until their appeal has been determined.

Asylum and Immigration

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether applicants for refugee status whose status is determined at the proposed accommodation centre for asylum seekers at Bicester and whose application fails will be (a) detained at Campsfield detention centre and (b) free to make their own arrangements for their removal from the UK.

Tony McNulty: All applicants are provided with information during the process to enable them to make a voluntary return to their country of origin if their application is unsuccessful, and will be encouraged to do so. Applicants whose claims fail and do not intend to return voluntarily may be removed directly from the centre. Those for whom detention is deemed necessary will be moved to whichever removal centre is considered to be most suitable.

Asylum and Immigration

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of migrants who apply for refugee status and for which it is determined that they do not qualify have appealed in the last 12 months; and what the average length of time for determining such appeals over that period was.

Tony McNulty: The latest published statistics estimate that 63 per cent. of asylum applications received in 2003 resulted in an appeal being lodged to the Immigration Appellate Authority (now Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT)).
	The Home Office and the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) set a jointly owned public service agreement target for 2003–04 that 60 per cent. of substantive asylum applications (excluding withdrawals and third country cases 1 ) received from 1 April 2003 should have a decision, up to and including final appeal at the Immigration Appeal Tribunal, within six months 2 .
	The Home Office and DCA exceeded this target with 64 per cent. of substantive applications received in the period April 2003 to March 2004 had a final decision, up to and including appeals at the IAT, within six months.
	1 Cases which may be the responsibility of other EU member states under the Dublin Convention.
	2 Six months" is defined as 182 days.

Asylum and Immigration

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the enabling regulations to bring into force section 9 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 will be laid; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: No enabling regulations are required. Section 9 came into effect on 1 December 2004.

Asylum and Immigration

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that interviews of asylum claimants are always tape recorded.

Tony McNulty: The Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Dirshe, handed down on 20 April, requires the Home Office to allow the tape recording of substantive asylum interviews where the claimant is not accompanied at interview by a representative or interpreter acting on their behalf. As a result, we will record substantive asylum interviews upon request except where asylum claimants have public funding for a representative or interpreter to attend the interview or have the resources to fund a representative or interpreter to attend the interview themselves. We will not record substantive asylum interviews where asylum claimants have the right to a publicly funded representative or interpreter at interview but choose not to exercise that right.
	We do not propose at present to extend this policy to those who fall outside the scope of the Court of Appeal judgment.

Asylum and Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to restrict the right of appeal against refusal of visitors' visas.

Tony McNulty: The Five Year Strategy Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain" which was published in February, sets out the Government's plans for changing the right of appeal against the refusal of family visit visas. We will make changes to hear family visit visa appeals on paper only. In line with the Strategy, amendments will be made so that the right of appeal for family visitors only exists where the relevant family member is a close relative who is settled in the UK.
	Additional measures will be considered to ensure that appeal provisions remain fair and prevent abuse. Since 1993 visitors, other than family visitors, have had no right of appeal under the immigration rules against a refusal of entry clearance.

Deportation

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used for deportation of individuals following imprisonment; and what criteria apply to those holding dual nationalities.

Tony McNulty: Any foreign national convicted of a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment, with the exception of certain Commonwealth and Irish nationals who were ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom on one January 1973 and who have been resident here for the last five years, is liable to deportation.
	The Secretary of State may make a deportation order against a prisoner either following the court's recommendation as a part of the sentence under section3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971, or on the grounds that his/her presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good under section 3(5) of the same Act. Each case is considered against the criteria laid down by paragraph 364 of the Immigration Rules HC 395.
	Any person holding dual British nationality has the right of abode in the United Kingdom and is not liable to deportation. The fact that a person holds dual nationality of two other countries is not a direct factor when deciding whether or not to make a deportation order against them, but their views together with available travel documentation are taken into account when deciding to which country they are to be removed.

Identity Cards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely impact of identity cards on the operation of human rights legislation.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 27 May 2005
	The Identity Cards Bill is compatible with the United Kingdom's obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. The Home Secretary signed a declaration to that effect on 19 May 2005.
	The previous Bill was subject to scrutiny by the Joint Committee on Human Rights. The Home Secretary published his response to the interim report on 8 February 2005.

Identity Cards

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the bodies that will be entitled to access files of individuals stored on the identity card database.

Tony McNulty: No bodies will be entitled to access files of individuals stored on the National Identity Register (NIR) other than those responsible for the administration of the scheme and the National Identity Scheme Commissioner in support of his functions.
	The ID cards scheme verification service will confirm and in some cases provide information held on the Register to accredited organisations but only with the consent of the card holder, as set out in Clause 14 of the Bill.
	Clauses 15–17 of the Identity Cards Bill provide for Parliament to agree powers for specified public services to require identity checks. Parliament will have to agree the rules for identity checks on a service by service basis.
	Clause 19–23 of the Bill also allow for information held on the register to be provided without the card holders consent to the Director-General of the Security Service, the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, the Director of the Government Communications Headquarters, a Chief Officer of Police and Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
	Parliament can also agree via regulations for information to be provided without consent to a prescribed government department, to a prescribed Northern Ireland government department, a designated documents authority and other public authorities. This is subject to regulations set out in Clause 23.
	In all of these cases the Bill allows for information to be provided to specified organisations by the Secretary of State. This is not the same as giving these organisations access to the Register.

Identity Cards

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the existing (a) biometric databases and (b) non-biometric databases on which he will model his identity card database.

Tony McNulty: At present the requirements for the National Identity Register (NIR) are being established. The NIR may share features with solutions used for passport and driving licence but there are no databases, biometric or non-biometric, which can be taken as a direct model in which to base the NIR.

Migrant Workers (EU Accession States)

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of workers from EU accession states on labour market stability; if he will publish the results of that assessment; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the numbers of workers from countries which became member states on 1 May 2004 who have registered in the UK; and in which (a) sectors and (b) types of employment these workers are engaged.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 25 May 2005
	An early assessment of the impact of the free movement of workers from central and Eastern Europe on the UK labour market was published on 26 May 2005 on the Department for Work and Pensions website www.dwp.gov.uk.
	The Accession Monitoring report, published on the Home Office website on 26 May 2005 contains management information showing the number of workers registered under the Worker Registration Scheme between 1 May 2004 to 31 March 2005, the sectors in which they are working and the occupations. The report is available at http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/reports/accession_monitoring.html

Sexual Offences Act

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to assess the effectiveness of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Paul Goggins: The Sexual Offences Act 2003 only came into force in May 2004 and it is too soon to make formal assessments of its effectiveness. The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending (IDMGSO) has agreed that a full review of the impact of the legislation will be commenced in May 2006 when the necessary data will be available to assess its effectiveness.

DEFENCE

Detainees (Treatment)

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to paragraph 80 of the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report, The Handling of Detainees by UK intelligence personnel in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and Iraq", (Cm. 6469), on what dates before 28 June 2004 members of the armed forces (a) escorted civilian intelligence personnel to US-controlled detention facilities in Iraq, (b) handed such personnel over to US armed forces or other US personnel and (c) handed such personnel over to civilian contractors.

Adam Ingram: The information is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Detainees (Treatment)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) detainees, (b) security internees and (c) enemy prisoners of war transferred by British forces to the United States military have been subject to any form of sensory deprivation.

Adam Ingram: The UK Government take their responsibilities to safeguard individuals taken into custody by UK forces very seriously. This includes those who were subsequently transferred to US custody in Iraq. In March 2003, the UK and US Governments agreed a Memorandum of Understanding which contains mutual assurances on the treatment of all transferred persons in Iraq and confirms that such persons are entitled to the full protection of the Geneva Conventions. Within the terms of that MOU however, specific procedures for handling internees are a matter for the US authorities. These procedures may include measures amounting to sensory deprivation.
	The UK considers that the use of certain sensory deprivation techniques, for example blindfolds, is lawful for certain aspects of prisoner handling. For example, it may be necessary to blindfold a prisoner being moved from one location to another for reasons of force protection and security. It is however unlawful to use any sensory deprivation techniques during interrogations.

Iraq

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army personnel are listed among the hostile military deaths in Iraq; and how many died following incidents involving (a) Land Rovers, (b) other light or non-armoured vehicles and (c) no vehicles.

Adam Ingram: A total of 87 United Kingdom military personnel have died on Operation TELIC (of whom 65 were Army personnel), 49 of whom were killed in action (40 Army), 12 of the remaining 38 died in vehicle related accidents (all of whom were Army personnel).

MARS Programme

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the support vessels that form part of the MARS programme will (a) be regarded as warships and (b) be built in the UK.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 24 May 2005
	It is Government policy that the fabrication and assembly of new Royal Navy warship hulls should be undertaken in the United Kingdom. Though current Royal Fleet auxiliary ships are not warships they are classed as warlike" and options for replacing these ships are being examined. The Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project is at an early state and no decision has been taken as to what will be procured; however, we expect that MARS ships will probably be warlike".

NATO Alliance

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department takes to promote the further understanding of the NATO Alliance among (a) the general public, (b) school age students and (c) university students.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence promotes understanding of NATO and our role in the alliance through promotional publications on defence, the Defence Tourer Exhibition (which travels the UK in thesummer months), the Defence Schools Team, and the MOD website.
	Since 1994, the MOD has contributed funding to the Atlantic Council of the UK (a charitable organisation and the UK's affiliate to the Atlantic Treaty Association) which aims to promote understanding in the UK of the role of NATO, largely through educational channels.

Unmanned Air Vehicle Projects

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which UK-based aerospace companies are undertaking unmanned air vehicle projects funded in whole or in part by his Department.

Adam Ingram: At present, both Thales UK and BAE Systems are leading work on unmanned air vehicle projects funded by the Ministry of Defence. Monday 6 June 2005

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Asian Tsunami

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his estimate is of total Government funds that will have been disbursed following the South East Asian tsunami; and what estimate his Department has made of what proportion of those funds will be paid to UK public sector bodies.

Hilary Benn: The Government have programmed some £67 million of their commitment of £75 million for the relief and recovery effort. I expect the full sum to be disbursed. The Government have also committed up to £65 million as the United Kingdom's contribution towards reconstruction and in addition, the Government will be contributing an estimated £50 million to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal, through the tax relief on public donations made through the Gift Aid scheme and making a special donation to offset the Value Added Tax on goods sold to raise money for the tsunami-affected areas. Debt relief for affected countries is presently being discussed and will provide additional resources for partner Government's to respond to public need.
	DFID's support to the relief and recovery effort is mainly channelled through the United Nations, the Red Cross movement and in support of non-governmental organisations. Some direct action has also been undertaken including support from United Kingdom military assets. The marginal cost of the support provided by the Ministry of Defence is currently estimated at £2.75 million.

Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many consultants were employed by his Department in each of the last three years; and what their names were.

Gareth Thomas: DFID awarded the following numbers of contracts from its headquarters office in each of the last three years:
	
		
			  Number of contracts Number of contractors 
		
		
			 2002–03 833 404 
			 2003–04 768 350 
			 2004–05 667 309 
		
	
	Details of these contracts are published on the DFID website www.dfid.gov.uk This does not include lower-value contracts issued by DFID's overseas offices, of which there is no consolidated central record. It would incur a disproportionate cost to produce a list of all those individual contracts.

Indonesia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assurances he has received from the Indonesian Government that debt relief will not be used to support arms sales to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: As a result of the tsunami disaster which hit the Indian Ocean region on the 26 December 2004, the Paris Club creditors agreed to offer Indonesia and other eligible sovereign countries a debt service payment moratorium for one year. The Indonesian Government have agreed that the savings from this will be used directly to benefit the populations affected by the tsunami.
	Together with a number of other donors, DFID has also committed £4.7 million over two phases to an Indonesian-led organisation dedicated to promoting good governance called the Governance Partnership. This provides support to tackling corruption including supporting new state-sponsored anti-corruption organisations, and enhancing development of a modern, pluralistic democracy.

Sudan

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how he expects the £300 million of British aid to southern Sudan to be spent.

Hilary Benn: DFID has provisionally allocated £282.7 million across the whole of Sudan over the next three financial years. This money is not earmarked between north and south Sudan. We have, however, pledged £23.5 million over three years to the World Bank's multi donor trust fund for South Sudan (we are making an equal commitment to the same Fund for the North). We have also allocated some £2.6 million for UNICEF's interim Capacity Building Trust Fund for the South.
	While exact allocation of the remaining funds will be decided over the coming months and years, our support is likely to focus on humanitarian relief; delivery of basic social services (including working closely with other donors in South Sudan to ensure that the Government of South Sudan has the capacity effectively to deliver services to all their citizens, including returned refugees and internally displaced people); rule of law; disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of soldiers; and enhancing the accountability of the Security Sector.
	As part of our efforts to harmonise donor assistance we are committed to developing a joint programme and office in the south with the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and any other interested donors. We hope this programme will be in place by the end of this calendar year.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action his Department has taken to ensure that humanitarian access in Darfur is improved in preparation for the rainy season.

Hilary Benn: DFID is working through the UN to ensure humanitarian access is improved in advance of the rainy season. This year DFID has made a £45 million contribution to humanitarian parts of the UN 2005 Workplan for Sudan to meet needs across the country. Of the £45 million, around £1 million went to the World Food Programme's (WFP) logistics for their emergency food aid operation in Darfur, and a further £1 million went towards funding the operation of the UN Humanitarian Air Service. The remainder went to support a range of UN agencies and NGOs including £10 million for health care projects, £8.9 million towards food aid, £5.5 million for water and sanitation projects, £4.8 million to help improve people's livelihoods, and £4.7 million to protect vulnerable people affected by the crisis.
	The WFP are pre-positioning food stocks across Darfur to help guarantee distributions during the rainy season. So far they have some 28,000 mega tonnes in West Darfur—equivalent to around two months' requirements for that state.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has made of the number of civilians without access to humanitarian assistance in Darfur.

Hilary Benn: The latest UN Darfur Humanitarian Needs Profile estimates that as of 1 April, a total of 2.62 million people in Darfur were in need of humanitarian assistance, of which 1.96 million were internally displaced. In April the World Food Programme targeted 2.1 million beneficiaries, and reached 1.6 million leaving a shortfall of 500,000 not receiving food aid, largely due to insecurity such as banditry. People that are not provided for will, where feasible, resort to eating wild foods, sell their possessions to purchase food, or move on to other locations. Of all those in need of assistance, 480,000 had no provided shelter, 1.1 million did not have clean water and 870,000 did not have access to primary health care.

Uzbekistan

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department gave to Uzbekistan between 2001 and 2005.

Gareth Thomas: My Department provided a total of £2,544,000 of bilateral aid to Uzbekistan from 2001 to March 2005. The annual breakdown was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001–02(1) 397,000 
			 2002–03 491,000 
			 2003–04 559,000 
			 2004–05 613,000 
		
	
	(1)Financial year March 2001–02
	The allocation for 2005–06 is £750,000.
	From 2001 to 2004, the focus of this assistance was on primary health care and strengthening civil society. Our current programme focuses on working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and local government to improve economic growth and reduce poverty for the population of the Zarafshan valley in cross-border work with Tajikistan. We are also working with the World bank and other partners on a regional programme to tackle the emerging HIV/AIDS epidemic. In light of the recent violence in eastern Uzbekistan we have suspended our work with central Government on national poverty statistics.
	The UK's share of multilateral aid to Uzbekistan was £1.4 million for the calendar year 2001–02 and £1.7 million for 2002–03. This was primarily through the European Commission and the United Nations. Information is not yet available concerning individual country shares of multilateral aid to Uzbekistan for 2003–05.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bees

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what evidence she has collated on the incidence of European foulbrood disease in bees;
	(2)  what decisions she has made on the assessment of European foulbrood disease, with particular reference to its incidence over the last five years.

Jim Knight: The number of confirmed cases of European foulbrood is collated annually by the national bees unit of the Central Science Laboratory and is published on their website. These figures indicate that incidence in England has declined over the past five years from 1,007 cases in 2000 to 672 in 2004.

Bees

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings she has had with the British Beekeepers' Association since May 2004.

Jim Knight: The Department has had five meetings with the British Beekeepers' Association since May 2004, including one with the then Minister, Lord Whitty, last November.

Bees

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on plans to deregulate European foulbrood disease; and on what evidence those plans are based;
	(2)  what plans she has to remove European foulbrood disease from the list of notifiable diseases.

Jim Knight: European Foulbrood (EFB) is a disease of honeybees for which effective means of control are in place or under development. We are therefore working towards removing EFB from our list of notifiable bee diseases by 2008, subject to making satisfactory progress with trials of the 'shook swarm' technique which the National Bees Unit is currently evaluating.
	Once we have further results from these trials—probably towards the end of 2006—we will revisit the issue, taking account of all current threats to bee health and will consult further with beekeeping associations before reaching final decisions on any changes to the control arrangements.

British Waterways Board

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will change the policy of the British Waterways Board regarding achieving a return from surplus non-operational land.

Jim Knight: The Government recently carried out a five yearly review of British Waterways and endorsed its vision of being largely self-sufficient by 2012. British Waterways' non-operational estate is an essential part of this strategy and produced around £26.5 million of rental income in 2004–05, out-performing the Industry Investment Property Database for total returns from property and investment by almost 3 percentage points.
	British Waterways relies on income from its assets to contribute to the cost of maintaining its waterways andto improve their attractiveness, use, amenity and interest to the wider public. Without this income, British Waterways would be more dependent on Government funding. There are no plans to change this policy.

Climate Change

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is the Government's policy that the post-Kyoto strategy to tackle climate change should be target-based on a country basis.

Elliot Morley: As yet, there have been no formal intergovernmental discussions of the design of a future commitment period under the Kyoto protocol. The UK will chair the EU at the UN climate change conference at the end of this year at which these discussions are due to commence. Our presidency of the EU gives us an excellent opportunity to galvanise work on preparing for future action. Nevertheless, experts have been considering what different approaches might look like and a number of approaches have been suggested for the design of future action on climate change.
	At this stage, it is important that we remain flexible in looking at the options, that all existing suggestions for future frameworks remain on the table, and that full consideration is given both to the possible frameworks themselves and to the elements within them that could be used to form part of a workable solution.
	In considering any future regime, the Government's long-term view is that the architecture of a future framework needs to be realistic (relevant to countries with different national circumstances), robust (capable of being adjusted in the light of experience) and durable (will not become irrelevant after a few years) but for any such framework to be effective, it would be necessary for it to achieve a wide global acceptance and to deliver results in terms of significant emissions reductions. The Government are committed to finding a solution to the issue of climate change that meet these criteria.

Common Agricultural Policy

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) net contribution by the UK to and (b) net income received by the UK from the common agricultural policy has been in each year since 1980.

Jim Knight: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The UK contributes to the whole EU budget rather than to specific components.
	
		Net contributions to EC budget
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 outturn 4,111 
			 1999–2000 outturn 3,325 
			 2000–01 outturn 4,318 
			 2001–02 outturn 1,477 
			 2002–03 outturn 3,080 
			 2003–04 estimated outturn 3,295 
			 2004–05 plans 3,306 
		
	
	Source:
	HM Treasury European Community Finances Statement on the 2004 EC Budget and measures to counter fraud and financial mismanagement".
	(b) The following table lists receipts from the EU in relation to the common agricultural policy. Receipts do not always relate to expenditure in the year in which they are received.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1979–80 412 
			 1980–81 606 
			 1981–82 742 
			 1982–83 805 
			 1983–84 1,200 
			 1984–85 1,203 
			 1985–86 1,282 
			 1986–87 1,481 
			 1987–88 1,128 
			 1988–89 1,597 
			 1989–90 1,226 
			 1990–91 1,645 
			 1991–92 1,812 
			 1992–93 1,593 
			 1993–94 2,885 
			 1994–95 2,478 
			 1995–96 2,674 
			 1996–97 3,304 
			 1997–98 3,466 
			 1998–99 3,343 
			 1999–2000 2,563 
			 2000–01 2,682 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Review of Agriculture" 1979–1988, Agriculture in the UK" 1988–2001.
	
		Receipts from the EAGGF Guarantee and Guidance Fund
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001 2,507 
			 2002 2,481 
			 2003 2,665 
			 2004 (Forecast) 2,907 
		
	
	Source:
	HM Treasury European Community Finances Statement on the 2004 EC Budget and measures to counter fraud and financial mismanagement".

Dangerous Wild Animals Act

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for the review of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, with particular reference to the review of species listed in the Schedule to the Act.

Jim Knight: I intend to proceed with revision of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act by a two-stage process, addressing first the Schedule, which lists the species which are required to be licensed, then the main body of the Act.
	Following public consultation carried out on the Schedule last year, my aim is to revise it during 2005 before the next round of licensing at the end of the year. On the main body of the Act, the Department is developing new options which aim to deliver the public safety benefits of the legislation but also to reduce the level of regulatory burden on local authorities and animal keepers. This will require a slightly longer timescale which may be affected by other initiatives such as the Animal Welfare Bill. I expect to consider the options this year with a view to further developing new proposals for consultation early in 2006.

Departmental Assets

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to realise the value of under-performing assets held by (a) her Department and (b) its associated public bodies.

Jim Knight: In response to Sir Michael Lyons's Report 'Towards Better Management of Public Sector Assets' published in December 2004, Defra is developing a comprehensive Asset Management Strategy covering both the core Department and its associated public bodies (i.e. its Executive Agencies, NDPBs, and Public Corporations). A key aim of the strategy will be to rationalise and improve the use of assets, and to dispose of those assets that are under-utilised or under-performing. It will be closely integrated into our overall efficiency programme which itself will present important opportunities for asset rationalisation and disposal. The strategy will also consider opportunities to exploit the value of Defra's intangible assets particularly intellectual property.
	As part of our strategy, plans are already in place to dispose in 2005–06 of (a) approximately £5 million worth of land and buildings owned by the core Department, and (b) a further £14 million of property assets owned by Defra Executive Agencies and NDPBs. There will be further significant disposals of land and buildings in the coming years, but firm details and values have yet to be agreed.

Employment Agencies

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff from employment agencies were employed by (a) her Department and (b) each agency of the Department (i)at the end of April and (ii) in each six month period since April 2002.

Jim Knight: holding answer 25 May 2005
	The information requested on Defra's agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The information requested for Core Defra is being collected and I will make the information available to my hon. Friend by 9 June 2005.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many timesduring the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidencies of the EU the (i) Committee on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs, (ii) Committee on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs, (iii) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for cereals and (iv) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for dehydrated fodder met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	(i) The Regulatory Committee on Certificates of Specific Character met three times in the period: on 20 January 2004; 24 February 2004; and 22 November 2004. All meetings took place in Brussels. Two UK officials with policy responsibility for regional foods attended each meeting.
	(ii) The Standing Committee on Organic Farming and its associated working groups met in Brussels:
	during the Italian presidency on 2–4 July, 22 September, 8–10 October, and 24–26 November;
	during the Irish presidency on 5 February and 1 April;
	during the Netherlands presidency on 6–7 July, 23–24 September, 5–6 October, 24 November and 9 December.
	Meetings were attended by officials from Defra's Organic Farming Branch. A wide variety of issues were discussed, in particular, seeds for use in organic farming, additives permitted in organic food, imports to the EU from third countries, the use of conventional ingredients in feed for organic livestock, conversion of livestock for organic production and the proposed EU Organic Action Plan.
	(iii) The Cereals Management Committee normally meets on a weekly basis in Brussels. The dates of meetings held during the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidencies and the items discussed can be viewed at the following internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/minco/manco/cereals/index.htm#top
	Meetings are attended by officials from Defra and additionally, as necessary, by officials from the Rural Payments Agency and other UK Agriculture Departments.
	(iv) The Dried Fodder Management Committee last met on 17 June 2004 in Brussels and was attended by officials from Defra. A summary of the items discussed can be viewed at the following internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/minco/manco/feed/index.htm

Single Payment Scheme

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the effects and desirability of ear tags on cattle and cattle passports following reforms to the single farm payment arrangements.

Jim Knight: The legal requirements of cattle keepers regarding the identification and registration of bovine animals, which includes ear tags and cattle passports, remain unchanged under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS).
	Under the SPS farmers will receive payments in respect of the area of land they seek to establish and activate entitlements provided they observe the rules of Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition and Cross Compliance.
	In respect of Cross Compliance farmers must observe Statutory Management Requirements (SMR). SMR seven and eight relate to the existing legislation for the identification and registration of cattle.

Single Payment Scheme

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of farmers who will receive (a) more and (b) less funding through the redistribution of the dairy premium to be made under the Single Farm Payment Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: A detailed analysis of how English dairy farmers stand to benefit or lose out relative to historic entitlements is provided in the document; CAP Single Payment Scheme, Basis for Allocation of Entitlement, Impact of the Scheme to be Adopted in England, which is available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/capreform/background/pdf/webnoterev16.pdf
	Data on the numbers of farmers who receive higher or lower subsidy payments will not be known until all of the claims for Single Payment have been scrutinised by the Rural Payments Agency. Only then will we know what areas of land and what entitlements have been claimed.
	By the end of the transitional period some sectors will have gained or lost against historical subsidy receipts. Generally speaking, flat rate payments redistribute subsidy from more intensive to less intensive producers and to land not formerly in receipt of subsidy. On average larger dairy farms will receive lower payments under this system than under one based on historic receipts (although, by contrast, smaller farms will on average be better off). However, we believe that the eight-year transition to the flat rate payment should give farmers time to adjust.
	All payments to dairy farmers in the UK, as for other recipients of the Single Payment, will be decoupled from production, and therefore are no longer linked to particular farming activity. In a decoupled subsidy environment, farmers should only produce milk if they can do so profitably.

Farming

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many activefarmers there have been in each year from 1980 to date.

Jim Knight: The following figures show the number of farmers, partners, directors and spouses (if working on the holding) on holdings in England between 1980 and 2004. Until 1986 the figures account for all holdings. From 1987 they relate to economically active holdings defined as having a standard gross margin of greater than zero.
	
		
			  Farmers, partners, directors and spouses 
		
		
			 1980 246,642 
			 1981 244,366 
			 1982 242,158 
			 1983 240,523 
			 1984 241,554 
			 1985 241,141 
			 1986 241,567 
			 1987 212,547 
			 1988 211,109 
			 1989 209,965 
			 1990 204,571 
			 1991 201,953 
			 1992 202,780 
			 1993 204,501 
			 1994 203,025 
			 1995 196,212 
			 1996 195,388 
			 1997 194,097 
			 1998 195,388 
			 1999 190,429 
			 2000 211,394 
			 2001 220,150 
			 2002 223,862 
			 2003 216,995 
			 2004 221,810 
		
	
	Notes
	(a) Figures for 1987 to 1999 cover main holdings only. For other years minor holdings are included. A holding is defined as minor if it meets all of the following conditions:
	1.the total area is less than 6 hectares
	2.the labour requirement is estimated to be less than 100 standard person-days
	3.there is no regular full-time farmer or worker
	4.the glasshouse area is less than 100 square meters
	5.the occupier does not farm another holding.
	(b) Due to the introduction of new questions in 1998 figures prior to this year are not directly comparable with later years' results.
	(c) Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001 labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
	(d) The standard gross margin (SGM) is a financial measure based on the concept of the gross margin for farming enterprises. The total SGM for each farm is calculated by multiplying it's crop areas and livestock numbers by the appropriate SGM coefficients and then summing the result for all enterprises on the farm.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Census and Survey

Farming

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been given in total by the Government, excluding funding from EU sources, in direct aid to the farming industry in each year since 1980.

Jim Knight: The total direct payments paid to the UK farming industry are in the following list. Most expenditure under the CAP and some expenditure on other schemes is made by the UK Government and subsequently reimbursed by the EU. Figures excluding EU funding are not readily available.
	
		Direct payments to the UK farming industry(2)
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1980 390 
			 1981 331 
			 1982 435 
			 1983 658 
			 1984 614 
			 1985 590 
			 1986 496 
			 1987 424 
			 1988 459 
			 1989 485 
			 1990 563 
			 1991 785 
			 1992 927 
			 1993 1,998 
			 1994 2,010 
			 1995 2,351 
			 1996 2,987 
			 1997 2,810 
			 1998 2,611 
			 1999 2,609 
			 2000 2,409 
			 2001 3,546 
			 2002 2,644 
			 2003 2,731 
			 2004 2,852 
		
	
	(2)Includes compensation for foot and mouth disease and other capital payments.
	Source:
	AUK 2004, Table 10.1 and 10.3.

Forestry Commission Wales

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what procedures the new director of the Forestry Commission Wales will be appointed.

Jim Knight: The Forestry Commission will follow the Senior Civil Service Recruitment Code procedures with regard to the appointment of a Director in Wales. Forestry is a devolved matter and I understand that the Forestry Commission will be working with the Welsh Assembly Government in managing the recruitment exercise.

Genetically Modified Maize

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government had had sight of the EU study into the effects of rats being fed Monsanto's MON 863 maize when it voted in favour of the application to import MON 863 at meetings of the Regulatory Committee on 29 November 2004 and 19 May 2005; and whether she has made a subsequent assessment of MON 863 in the light of this study.

Elliot Morley: I confirm that before voting on the dates mentioned the Government had seen both the rat feeding study submitted by Monsanto to support its applications under EU regulations and the critique of the study submitted by the German authorities
	The votes taken on 29 November 2004 and 19 May 2005 relate to two separate applications on GM maize MON 863. The first related to the import of maize grain for use as any other maize (including feed but excluding cultivation) and the second to food products. Both dossiers will now go to the Council of Ministers for decisions as no qualified majority was reached at the respective committees.
	The vote on 29 November related to the application by Monsanto via the German authorities under Directive 2001/18/EC for the import and use of GM maize grain, including feed but excluding food and cultivation. Monsanto's dossier included data from a rat feeding study. The German authorities submitted the dossier to other member states with a favourable opinion. In the UK the application was considered by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Animal Feed and based on their advice the UK gave a favourable opinion on this application.
	The vote on 19 May was on an application made to the German authorities in August 2002 under the novel food regulations (EC) 258/97. This application is for food use of ingredients derived from GM maize MON 863. This dossier also included the results of the rat feeding study. The initial opinion from the German authorities was referred to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which concluded that MON 863 maize will not have an adverse effect on human health. This conclusion has been endorsed by the UK expert committee, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes.
	In September 2004 the German authorities submitted a critique of the rat feeding study by Professor Pusztai. This highlighted a number of features of the study that appeared to indicate adverse effects of the GM maize. EFSA examined this document and issued a statement in September 2004 that confirmed its earlier conclusions. At the same time, the rat feeding study was independently re-examined by the GM sub-group of the UK's Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs, which confirmed that this was a normal and well-conducted study that did not indicate any adverse effects.

Horse Passports

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horse passports have been issued since the introduction of the scheme.

Jim Knight: Based upon the data we have received from English Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs), there has been 576,756 horse passports issued in England. Some of these were issued before the Horse Passport (England) Regulations came into effect.

Milk Price

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average price paid to farmers for a litre of milk has been in each year since 1980.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the annual average price paid to UK farmers for a litre of milk since 1980.
	
		United Kingdom milk prices—calendar year farmgate milk prices(3) -- Pence per litre including bonus payments(4)
		
			  Units: 
		
		
			 1980 12.52 
			 1981 13.26 
			 1982 14.54 
			 1983 14.64 
			 1984 14.61 
			 1985 14.99 
			 1986 15.53 
			 1987 16.11 
			 1988 17.28 
			 1989 18.39 
			 1990 18.47 
			 1991 19.93 
			 1992 20.95 
			 1993 21.97 
			 1994 22.43 
			 1995 24.94 
			 1996 25.02 
			 1997 22.12 
			 1998 19.37 
			 1999 18.35 
			 2000 16.93 
			 2001 19.26 
			 2002 17.11 
			 2003 18.03 
			 2004 18.46 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Average prices have been calculated from separate monthly surveys of milk purchasers conducted in England and Wales by Defra, in Scotland by SEERAD and in Northern Ireland by DARD. The surveys were introduced following changes to the milk marketing arrangements in 1994–95. The farmgate price is the average price received by producers, net of delivery charges. No deduction has been made for superlevy.
	2.Prices include any retrospective bonuses made by purchasers. Provisional from 2004 onwards.
	Sources:
	Eurostat (1970 to 1994), from Milk Marketing Board statistics. Defra, SEERAD and DARD (1995 onwards), including bonus payments. Contact: Colin Beattie, DEFRA, Tel: ++44 (0)1904 455095, Email: colin.j.beattie@defra.gsi.gov.uk
	Milk prices surveys Defra, SEERAD, DARD (NI)

National Fruit Collection

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future of the custody of the National Fruit Collection.

Jim Knight: holding answer 26 May 2005
	The management of the National Fruit Collection (NFC) has been carried out by the Brogdale Horticulture Trust, under contract, since the early 1990s. We have recently awarded them a two year contract which will run until 31 March 2007.

Public Bodies

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are taken by her Department to (a) control and (b) reduce the cost of its associated public bodies.

Jim Knight: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) Control
	The Secretary of State appoints a Non-Executive board to oversee strategic direction and control of each executive NDPB.
	Each board is required to establish an audit committee for risk management and control issues.
	The department draws up management statements and financial memoranda for each of its Executive NDPBs. These documents are the framework for strategic control by the department.
	(b) Reducing the cost of its associated public bodies
	Defra looks at funding for NDPBs as part of the Departmental Spending Review keeping efficiency principles in mind.

Shared/lateral Drains

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to make an announcement about the possible transfer of shared and lateral drains to local water companies; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Defra held a seminar in January 2005 for key stakeholders on the way forward for a possible transfer of private sewers to sewerage undertakers in England and Wales. Further information on the seminar is available on the Department's website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/industry/sewers/existing/index.htm
	The Government intend to publish a decision paper on existing private sewers later this summer, but do not rule out the need to consult further on the scope and form of a potential transfer.

Xenotransplantation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the recent World Health Organisation report on xenotransplantation; and what plans she has (a) to improve regulations and (b) to promote ethical standards in this area.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	In 1998, the Government announced steps to tighten the regulation of the development of animal to human transplants (xenotransplantation) and issued a Health Service Circular—HSC July 1998/126: Clinical Procedures involving Xenotransplantation—to all national health service organisations to ensure that all hospitals comply with procedures to make xenotransplantation applications as set out by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA). This document is available at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/ukxira/ukxann.htm
	These regulations are continually reviewed by UKXIRA as outlined in section two of the fifth annual report, published in 2003, which resulted in UKXIRA recommending that the Government review the definition of xenotransplantation. This work is currently being taken forward to ensure that the United Kingdom's definition of xenotransplantation is in line with the revised, broader, definition adopted in the United States in 2000, and which the Council of Europe is expected to recommend for adoption by member states. The fifth annual report is also available from the website address above.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Amateur Sports Clubs

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in reviewing the licence fee costs for amateur sports clubs; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The new fees under the Licensing Act 2003 were laid before this House on 20 January 2005, and came into effect on 7 February 2005. We have been mindful to create a fair and equitable licensing system which allows full cost recovery of the licensing authorities' administration, inspection and enforcement costs. We appreciate the important roles that amateur sports clubs play in local communities. As such, my Department held detailed discussions on fee levels with the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR), and other sports bodies, both during the passage of the Act, and thereafter. My Department has agreed to monitor the impact of the fees on all sectors including sports clubs. We intend working closely with CCPR to that end. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made a commitment to an independent review of fee levels and associated costs, within a reasonable period after the new framework is fully introduced. That review will be chaired by Sir Leslie Elton. The results of the review will inform any necessary adjustments to the levels of fees, including those payable by amateur sports clubs.

Amateur Sports Clubs

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to engage community amateur sports clubs in helping schools meet the Government's target for the provision of sporting activity in schools.

Richard Caborn: As part of the national strategy for Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is investing £9 million into increasing the percentage of 5 to 16-year-olds from School Sport Partnership schools who are members of, or participate in governing body or otherwise accredited sports clubs from 14 per cent. (2002) to 20 per cent. by 2006. This is being delivered through the national governing bodies of 22 sports. A further £9 million has been secured for the period 2006–08.

Consultants

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultants were employed by her Department in each of the last three years; and what their names were.

Richard Caborn: The consultants employed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport during the last three years are as follows:
	
		
			 Company Start 
		
		
			 Kingshurst Consulting Group 2002 
			 Richard Lambert 2002 
			 Robert Palmer 2002 
			 PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2002 
			 Tim Gardom Associates 2002 
			 Market and Opinion Research International (MORI) 2002 
			 Sue Burgess Consultancy 2002 
			 Stanton Marris 2002 
			 Atkins Management Consultants 2003 
			 Kingshurst Consulting Group 2003 
			 PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2003 
			 Gillian Ashmore 2003 
			 Odgers, Ray and Berndtson 2003 
			 Linklaters 2003 
			 Denis Allnutt 2003 
			 Interserve FM 2003 
			 Anthony Lilley 2003 
			 Philip Graf 2003 
			 Research Centre for Museums and Galleries 2003 
			 Shared Intelligence 2004 
			 London Metropolitan University 2004 
			 Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff Business School 2004 
			 University of Nottingham 2004 
			 Shared Intelligence 2004 
			 London Metropolitan University 2004 
			 Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff Business School 2004 
			 University of Nottingham 2004 
			 Opsis Renewal Consulting 2005 
			 PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2005

Departmental Expenditure

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public money her Department used to fund the celebration of the last (a) St. George's Day, (b) St. Patrick's Day and (c) European Day.

David Lammy: No public money was spent by my Department on St. George's or St. Patrick's Day. For Europe Day (9 May), the flags of the European member states were flown on Parliament Square. The expected cost is £4,101.

Football Association Review

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department expects the Football Association's review of its structure and governance to be published; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: While all sports national governing bodies are independent from Government, the Government's aim is for them to be fit for purpose. The FA is no exception.
	The FA's board and council are committed to the FA Structural Review headed by Lord Burns. Lord Burns is currently undertaking that review, and he has indicated that he will report to the board in July 2005.

Gambling Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to bring in secondary legislation specifying the dates for the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: A substantial number of statutory instruments will be needed to bring about the full implementation of the 2005 Act. We expect to lay an initial group before Parliament before the summer recess, which will include an order formally establishing the Gambling Commission in place of the Gaming Board from October. We are still considering, and will wish to consult interested parties, future dates for statutory instruments as part of the overall programme of work necessary to bring the Act fully into force, for which our current target is the third quarter of 2007.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Heritage Lottery Fund spent in 2004–05 on acquiring works of art and other artefacts for public museums; and what proportion of its expenditure the figure represents.

David Lammy: During the financial year 2004–05 the Heritage Lottery Fund gave grants totalling £1,602,700 for acquisitions for public museums. This represented 0.46 per cent. of HLF's expenditure for 2004–05.

Licensing Changes

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect on small bars within larger premises of the recent change to licensing fees; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: The Licensing Act 2003 is not expected to fully come into effect until November 2005. The fee bands under the Licensing Act 2003 are set by reference to non-domestic rateable values. The Government believe that this is the fairest way of ensuring that larger premises pay more than smaller premises and of accounting for location. Rateable values are also reviewed every five years and subject to specific appeal mechanisms.
	In some cases, a small bar in a larger premises will have its own rateable value and its licence fee will reflect this. In other cases, the non domestic rateable value will apply to all parts of the premises, including an area designated for a licensable activity. The new fee structure includes a multiplier, and a higher fee, for larger premises which are exclusively or primarily engaged in the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made a commitment to an independent review of fee levels and associated costs, within a reasonable period after the new framework is fully introduced. The results of that review will inform any necessary adjustments to the levels of fees introduced under the Act.

South Bank Centre

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has been informed that (a) the South Bank Centre's vice chairman is employed by solicitors Herbert Smith and (b) that solicitors Herbert Smith were employed by South Bank Centre in its lease negotiations with the London Eye; and what assessment she had made of whether a conflict of interest existed.

Tessa Jowell: My former right hon. Friend, Chris Smith, who was Secretary of State at the time was aware at the time of his appointment to the South Bank board in June 1999 that Edward Walker-Arnott was then Senior Partner of Herbert Smith, one of the law firms used by South Bank Centre (SBC). Herbert Smith have been retained by SBC since 1994. Edward Walker-Arnott has now retired from the partnership and is a part-time consultant.
	I am confident that SBC and Mr. Walker-Arnott have been careful to avoid any conflict arising: in particular the decision as to which solicitors to retain on any particular matter is made by the executive team at the SBC and not by the board or any board member.

South Bank Centre

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria her Department used to appoint Lord Hollick to be chairman of the South Bank Centre.

Tessa Jowell: The criteria used to appoint the Chair of the South Bank Board were that the successful candidate should be able to demonstrate:
	strong leadership skills, the ability to broker compromises among parties with fairly entrenched views, and advocacy skills;
	experience of leading a large organisation and first hand knowledge of the public and private sectors;
	a proven record of delivery of major projects involving mixed public/private financing;
	a record of rigorous financial control; and
	an understanding of the subsidised arts sector.

Lottery Funding

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the 10 parliamentary constituencies which received least in awards from Lottery sources in each year since 2000.

Richard Caborn: The following lists show the 10 constituencies that received the least Lottery money in each calendar year since 2000. The constituency at the top of each list received the least Lottery money.
	2000
	Broxbourne
	Aldershot
	Dartford
	Billericay
	Birmingham, Yardley
	Ilford, North
	Hornchurch
	Epping Forest
	Birmingham, Northfield
	Linlithgow
	2001
	Birmingham, Yardley
	Denton and Reddish
	Rayleigh
	Wallasey
	Hornchurch
	West Renfrewshire
	Birmingham, Northfield
	Makerfield
	Orpington
	Ruislip Northwood
	2002
	Glasgow Pollok
	Aberdeen, South
	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
	South Ribble
	Grantham and Stamford
	Edinburgh, West
	Gedling
	Birmingham, Yardley
	North Warwickshire
	Linlithgow
	2003
	Broxbourne
	Bexleyheath and Crayford
	Hertsmere
	Spelthorne
	Chatham and Aylesford
	Stoke-on-Trent, North
	Blaby
	Aberdeen, South
	Eltham
	Linlithgow
	2004
	Fareham
	Sheffield, Hallam
	Elmet
	Bury, South
	Upminster
	Broxbourne
	East Devon
	Lewisham, East
	Coventry, North West
	Linlithgow
	2005—to date
	Glasgow Baillieston
	Hayes and Harlington
	Hemel Hempstead
	Spelthorne
	Dewsbury
	Bradford, South
	Broxbourne
	Mitcham and Morden
	Crawley
	Linlithgow
	The 'location' of the project is based on the postcode given by the applicant, which is not necessarily where the benefit of the award will be felt. For example no single constituency would describe where a theatre tour took place.
	This information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

Premier League Football (TV Rights)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department (a) plans to have and (b) has had with the (i) European Commission, (ii) other Government Departments and (iii) other interested parties, regarding the collective bargaining of Premier League Football television rights.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had a number of meetings with the FA Premier League in the last six months to discuss a wide range of issues including the future of the Premier League's broadcasting rights. At these meetings the Secretary of State has made it clear that this is a competition issue in which the Government have no locus to intervene.
	The Secretary of State has had no meetings with the European Commission or other Government Departments to discuss this issue, nor has she any plans to do so in the near future.
	There has been, and will continue to be, ongoing discussion between a number of Whitehall Departments, including the Department for Trade and Industry, Department for Culture Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office, the regulators, Office for Fair Trading (OFT) and Office for Communication (OFCOM), and UKREP and DG Competition about the Premier League competition case.
	At these meetings the Government have made clear that this is a competition issue in which the Government have no locus to intervene.

Royal Parks Constabulary

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether officers serving in the Royal Parks Constabulary over the age of 55 years will be required to take part in an eligibility exercise to assess their suitability for the Metropolitan Police;
	(2)  what the employment rights of Royal Parks Constabulary officers will be if they are over the age of 55 years but do not complete an application form to join the Metropolitan Police.

David Lammy: Under paragraph 2 of Schedule 13 to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 the Secretary of State may by regulations impose requirements on Royal Parks Constables for the purpose of establishing whether they are eligible to become Metropolitan Police Constables or be otherwise employed by the Metropolitan Police Authority.
	Under paragraph 3 of Schedule 13 the Secretary of State may terminate the Crown employment of a constable who fails to comply with or satisfy any requirement imposed in relation to him by regulations made under paragraph 2. Constables whose Crown employment is terminated in this way are not to be treated as being dismissed. The Secretary of State also has power under paragraph 8 of that Schedule to make regulations providing for the consequences of termination of a constable's Crown employment (including the power to remove any entitlement to compensation).
	No regulations under any of the above provisions have yet been made. The Royal Parks will shortly be consulting constables on the terms of the transfer of staff to the Metropolitan Police and a final decision on whether to make any Regulations under these powers will be made following this consultation.

Sexual Violence Counselling (Funding)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) rape crisis organisations and (b) other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence received funding from Lottery sources in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002, (iii) 2003 and (iv) 2004.

Richard Caborn: The table shows the number of grants from Lottery sources made to rape crisis organisations and other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence.
	
		
			  Rape crisis organisations Other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence 
		
		
			 2001 3 13 
			 2002 7 10 
			 2003 6 16 
			 2004 5 13 
		
	
	The figures for the rape crisis organisations include all former Community Fund and New Opportunity Fund programmes, while those for projects in the other organisations only include former Community Fund programmes.

Sexual Violence Counselling (Funding)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was granted from Lottery sources to (a) individual rape crisis organisations and (b) other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence in each year since 2001.

Richard Caborn: The table outlines the amount of money granted from Lottery sources to individual rape crisis organisations and other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence.
	
		£
		
			  Rape crisis organisations Other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence 
		
		
			 2001 241,063 1,525,724 
			 2002 707,096 200,769 
			 2003 628,287 386,022 
			 2004 207,299 1,212,822 
		
	
	The figures for individual rape crisis organisations include all former Community Fund and New Opportunity Fund programmes, while those for projects in other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence only include former Community Fund programmes.

Sports Instructors

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of schools in (a) Staffordshire and (b) England have access to specialist sports instructors to assist in the delivery of the Government's target for sporting activity in schools.

Richard Caborn: All secondary schools in England have access to specialist PE teachers. In Staffordshire, 29 per cent. of schools are also within a School Sport Partnership (SSP) which will increase to 46 per cent. by September 2005. In England, 54 per cent. of schools are within a SSP which will increase to at least 75 per cent. by September 2005. All secondary schools within a SSP appoint a school sport co-ordinator and all primary and special schools a link teacher. By 2006, all maintained schools will be within a partnership.
	A total of 3,000 full and part-time qualified community sports coaches will also be employed by 2006 to assist with the delivery of high-quality sport within SSPs. In Staffordshire there are currently 28 coaches and 857 nationwide.

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department's Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme extends to Northern Ireland.

Richard Caborn: Sport is a devolved matter and as such the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) currently operates in England only. In addition to meeting the required performance standard for their sport, TASS athletes must have a British passport and be habitually based in England, or receive the majority of their sporting services in England, in order to be eligible for the scheme. Athletes must also be able to represent either Great Britain or England in competition.

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what access Northern Ireland sports people have to the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme programme;
	(2)  how many athletes from Northern Ireland have been awarded a Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme scholarship;
	(3)  what the process is by which scholarships are awarded for the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme in Northern Ireland.

Richard Caborn: Sport is a devolved matter and as such the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) currently operates in England only. In addition to meeting the required performance standard for their sport, TASS athletes must have a British passport and be habitually based in England, or receive the majority of their sporting services in England, in order to be eligible for the scheme. Athletes must also be able to represent either Great Britain or England in competition. For the first year of the programme (2004–05) no athletes from Northern Ireland received support from TASS as none met the eligibility criteria.

Tourism

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) the budget for the promotion of British tourism and (b) total public spending on promoting British tourism was in each year since 1997.

James Purnell: My Department is responsible for grant-in-aid to VisitBritain, a proportion of which is used specifically to promote Britain overseas. Grant-in-aid to VisitBritain itself forms a part of wider public spending on tourism at national, regional and local levels, which in 2003–04 was estimated at over £285 million across Britain. The following figures relate only to the grant-in-aid paid, and payable, to VisitBritain, for which my Department is responsible.
	(a) VisitBritain's total available budget for the promotion of tourism over the period 2005–06 to 2007–08 was announced in December 2004, following the Spending Review. It is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2005–06 49.05 
			 2006–07 50.05 
			 2007–08 50.05 
		
	
	That represents an additional £2 million over this three-year period.
	(b) The total allocations of grant-in-aid by my Department to VisitBritain (and its predecessor bodies the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourism Council up to 2002–03) were:
	
		
			  Grant-in-aid(3) 
		
		
			 1997–98 44.9 
			 1998–99 44.7 
			 1999–2000 47.8 
			 2000–01 48.0 
			 2001–02 (4)45.1 
			 2002–03 47.1 
			 2003–04 47.9 
			 2004–05 48.4 
		
	
	(3)Figures for 1998–99 to 2002–03 comprise funding for BTA, ETB and ETC.
	(4)Up to April 2001, £1.5 million per year was allocated to the BTA promotion of London as a gateway to Britain.
	These figures include amounts allocated to VisitBritain (and, before 31 March 2003, to the English Tourism Council) for the marketing of England within Great Britain.
	Additional amounts of £14.2 million in 2001–02, and £19 million in 2002–03, were allocated to the British Tourist Authority from the Reserve to help the tourism sector to recover from the impacts of the foot and mouth outbreak, and the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

Volunteers (Sport)

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to encourage volunteers in sport.

Richard Caborn: Sport is already the single biggest volunteering activity in England, with 26 per cent. of volunteering going on in sports related activities. Thereare an estimated 6 million sports volunteers, representing 15 per cent. of the adult population and contributing over 1 billion hours.
	Volunteers are a key driver for change if we are to achieve our targets of increasing participation in sport and physical activity. The National Strategic Partnership for Volunteering in Sport was launched last October to provide a single strategic voice to drive forward, promote and develop volunteering in sport and the wider voluntary sector across Government and other partners.
	Sport England's partnership with Volunteering England, the national development agency for volunteering, is aimed at ensuring a joined-up approach to volunteering between sport and other sectors. National Governing Bodies of Sport set targets for raising the number of volunteers within their Whole Sport Plans that are agreed with Sport England.
	Step into Sport is one of the eight workstrands of the PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy, which aims to provide a simple framework of opportunities for young people in leadership and volunteering through sport.
	In March, the Russell Commission recommended a framework that will deliver a step change in the diversity, quality and quantity of young people's volunteering, with the aspiration to attract 1 million more young volunteers across all forms of activity. This year's Budget announced funding for the framework of up to £150 million that will include matching funds from the private sector and contributions from Sport England.
	2005 is The Year of The Volunteer", a Home Office initiative run by the Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England to promote volunteering across a range of sectors throughout the year in which August is the themed month of sport.

PRIME MINISTER

Cabinet Memorandum

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what representations the Government has received from members of the United States Congress in connection with the authenticity of a document purported to be a Cabinet memorandum dated 23 July 2002.

Tony Blair: As far as I am aware the Government have not received any representations from those mentioned on this matter.

Cabinet Memorandum

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Government have instituted an inquiry into the leaking of a document purported to be a Cabinet memorandum dated 23 July 2002.

Tony Blair: In order to safeguard security and investigative arrangements, it has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on the conduct and outcome of leak inquiries.

Drugs (Colombia)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Colombian government on drugs and related armed violence.

Tony Blair: We have regular discussions with the Colombian Government at ministerial and official level. My hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, raised counter-narcotics work with his Colombian counterparts during his February 2005 visit to Colombia, as did my right hon. Friend the Minister for the armed forces during his visit in October last year.

Foreign Affairs Policy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on mechanisms for co-ordinating policy on foreign affairs between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Defence.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement on Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet I made to the House on 24 May 2005, Official Report, column 12WS.

G8 Summit

David Drew: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet representatives from churches and non-government organisations at their forthcoming lobby to Make Poverty History in advance of the Gleneagles summit of the G8.

Tony Blair: My officials and I will have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including churches and non-government organisations, in preparation for the Gleneagles summit.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister whether he was given copies of internal Foreign Office briefing material on the legality of the war in Iraq before the commencement of hostilities.

Tony Blair: The Government received advice from the Attorney-General on the legality of the conflict in Iraq. As the Government's chief legal adviser his advice is the final, authoritative decision in Government.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister whether John Scarlett had discussions with the Iraq Survey Group on the drafting of the reports of their findings.

Tony Blair: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on security matters. The Iraq Survey Group was responsible for the findings of its reports.

Ministerial Duties

David Davies: To ask the Prime Minister how many hours he spent performing his official duties in the week commencing 9 May.

Tony Blair: As is normal practice, my week was spent meeting Ministerial colleagues and others and carrying out other official business.

VE Day Celebrations (Moscow)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister what factors he took into account in reaching his decision not to attend the VE Day celebrations in Moscow.

Tony Blair: The principal commemoration of the end of World War 2 will be on 10 July 2005, which falls between the anniversaries of VE and VJ days. Her Majesty The Queen will lead the celebrations and I shall also attend. The Ministry of Defence, in consultation with other Government Departments and veterans, made the announcement to this effect on 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 597.
	The Deputy Prime Minister represented the Government at the VE day celebrations in Moscow on 9 May.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Living Standards

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assessment she has made of changes in living standards for women since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply. 
	Table 1.2 of Individual Incomes of men and women 1996–97 to 2003–04" (Women and Equality Unit, Department of Trade and Industry) shows that the median disposable individual income of women rose by 29 per cent. in real terms from 1996–97 to 2003–04. Table D9.1 of Households Below Average Income 1994–05 to 2003–04" (Department for Work and Pensions) shows that the risk for adult women of living in households with less than 60 per cent. of 1996–97 median household income held constant in real terms fell from 18 per cent. in 1996–97 to 10 per cent. in 2003–04 before housing costs, and from 24 per cent. to 13 per cent. after housing costs. Further related information is available in both publications.

Poverty

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what plans the Government have to curb poverty among women.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply. 
	The sixth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	The Government are determined to tackle child poverty, with women disproportionately represented in households with children living in relative low-income. The Government's reforms since 1997 have reduced the number of children living in relative low-income households by over half a million.
	The Government are also providing support to the poorest pensioners through the pension credit. Women pensioners, many of whom have not been able to build up an entitlement to a full basic state pension in their own right in the past, have been among those to benefit the most from pension credit.

TRANSPORT

Babergh District Council

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the transport consequences of Babergh district council's development plan.

Karen Buck: Representations on the transport policies contained within the Babergh local plan, second deposit draft, were made to the district council during the public consultation in 2003. Assessments of the transport consequences of individual developments will be the responsibility of the district council upon receipt of planning applications.

British Summer Time

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the likely effects of continuing British summer time throughout the year on the number of road accidents in England and Wales.

Stephen Ladyman: No recent assessment of the likely effects of continuing British summer time (BST) throughout the year has been carried out.

Congestion Charge

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Mayor of London regarding the proposed extension of the congestion charging zone in London.

Karen Buck: The London congestion charging scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor, not the Government. However, Ministers have regular meetings with the Mayor at which a wide range of transport matters are discussed.

Congestion Charge

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has undertaken with businesses and business groups regarding the effect of the proposed westward extension of the congestion charging zone on road routes to Heathrow airport.

Karen Buck: The London congestion charging scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor, not the Government. The Department has regular meetings with a range of businesses and business groups interested in the western extension of congestion charging. The Mayor has revised his Transport Strategy to allow for a western extension of the central London congestion charging zone. A full 12-week public consultation on the extension was launched on 6 May. Any proposal for a further extension to the scheme is a matter for the Mayor.

Container Traffic

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the volume of container traffic which will enter the UK through east coast ports over the next three years;
	(2)  what his assessment is of the potential for container-based exports from east coast ports over the next three years.

Stephen Ladyman: No such estimate or assessment has been made. The Transport Committee's Report on Ports in November 2003 noted that various independent studies were consistent in concluding that the volume of container traffic at UK ports as a whole could growby between 4 per cent. and 5 per cent. per annum on average to 2015. The Department has now commissioned consultants to produce national port traffic forecasts by region to 2030. These forecasts will be published as part of the forthcoming review of ports policy.

Container Traffic

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of container traffic entering the UK through (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe and (c) London which had its final destination in the Midlands in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: Separate information is not available for individual ports. However, it is estimated that in 2003 about one in six trips resulting from the collection of containers by lorry from ports in Essex, Greater London or Suffolk had a final destination in the East Midlands or West Midlands Government Office Regions. The Department does not collect similar information about the destination of containers that are moved by rail.
	Source:
	Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport 2003

Container Traffic

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made for the average time taken for a fully laden container ship arriving at the coast at (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe, (c) London and (d) Teesport being completely unloaded in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

Container Traffic

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage of container traffic which entered the UK through (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe and (c) London which had final destinations north of the M62 in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: Separate information is not available for individual ports. However, it is estimated that in 2003 about one in 12 trips resulting from the collection of containers by lorry from ports in Essex, Greater London or Suffolk had a final destination north of the M62 1 . The Department does not collect similar information about the destination of containers that are moved by rail.
	1 Including the Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and West Yorkshire Metropolitan areas.
	Source:
	Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport 2003

EU Legislation

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what EU legislation was implemented by (a) the Vehicle Excise Duty (Reduced Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations 2000, (b) the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) (Amendment) Regulations 2002, (c) the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (Composition and Content), (d) the Motor Fuel (Amendment) Regulations 2003 and (e) the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Vehicle Excise Duty (Reduced Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/3274) amended the requirements as to rate and content of particulate emissions (compliance with which means the reduced pollution requirements are satisfied). This was to reflect the particulate emission levels set out in Directive 1999/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression ignition engines for use in vehicles and against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Council Directive 88/77/EEC.
	These regulations have been revoked and replaced by the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2742) (see in particular regulation 2 and Schedule 1 and regulation 5 and Schedule 2).
	(b) The Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/489) do not in fact implement any Community legislation but simply amend the fees payable in respect of certificates of initial fitness, type approvals and certificates of conformity.
	(c) The End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (S.I.2003/2635) implement provisions of Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on end-of-life vehicles. Although DfT (and DEFRA) has a policy interest in these regulations they are primarily the responsibility of DTI and I am responding on their behalf in order to be as helpful as possible.
	The regulations impose both requirements to ensure vehicle materials and components do not contain specified substances and information requirements for producers regarding such materials and components. The regulations also introduce certificates of destruction and requirements in relation thereto as well as regulating the treatment of end-of-life vehicles.
	(d) The Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/3078) implement Directive 2003/17/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 March 2003 amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels.
	Essentially these regulations prohibit the distribution or sale of petrol or diesel from 2009 if its sulphur content exceeds 10 milligrams per kilogram. These regulations prohibit the sale of gas oil intended for use in tractors or non-road mobile machinery if the sulphur content is 2,000 or more milligrams per kilogram and from 2008 its sale is prohibited if the sulphur content is more than 1,000 milligrams per kilogram.
	(e) The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/568) implement three directives.
	Firstly, there is implementation of Council Directive 94/55/EC of 21 November 1994 on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road (as amended by Directive 2000/61/EC and Directive 2003/28/EC) in application of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road—and in particular the latest biennial revisions (up to 2003) thereof.
	Secondly, there is implementation of Council Directive 96/49/EC of 23 July 1996 on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by rail (as amended by Directive 2000/62/EC and Directive 2003/29/EC) in application of the dangerous goods part of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF)—and in particular the latest biennial revisions (up to 2003) thereof.
	Thirdly, the Regulations implement the obligations of Council Directive 1999/36/EC of 29 April 1999 on transportable pressure equipment including the application of requirements for the placing of such equipment on the market and making provision in relation to conformity assessments.

Freight Transport

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made in achieving a shift in freight transportation from road to rail since 1997.

Derek Twigg: Between 1997–98 and 2003–04 (the latest year for which figures are available), levels of freight moved by rail increased from 16.9 billion to 18.9billion tonne kilometres—an increase of around 12 per cent. It is estimated that in 2003–04 the rail freight industry saved 1.35 billion lorry kilometres.

Freight Transport

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government financial support is available to support a shift in freight transportation from road to rail.

Derek Twigg: Over the next two years, the Government will provide over £24 million per annum in grant funding to support the transfer of traffic from road to rail. The Government also provide support for rail freight through their funding of rail infrastructure— for instance, the £7.6 billion West Coast Route Modernisation programme, which will substantially increase capacity for rail freight from the channel ports to the north west, and the circa £30 million Felixstowe-Nuneaton gauge enhancement.

Rail Freight

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade rail freight between the east coast ports and the Midlands of England.

Derek Twigg: The £30 million gauge enhancement project between Felixstowe and the west coast main line was completed in October 2004 on time and under budget. This will allow 9ft 6in containers to be carried on standard wagons for the first time between the Haven ports and the key rail freight terminals in the midlands and the north west.

Future Heathrow

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) direct and (b) indirect financial backing his Department has provided to Future Heathrow.

Karen Buck: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) None and (b) none.

Future Heathrow

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons he attended the launch of Future Heathrow.

Karen Buck: The Secretary of State attended the launch to set out the Government's policy in relation to Heathrow, as contained in the White Paper, The Future of Air Transport", published in December 2003. He confirmed the importance of taking a forward-looking, strategic approach to dealing with the pressures caused by the increasing need to travel while at the same time meeting our commitment to protect the environment in which we live.

Future Heathrow

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the nature of the relationship between his Department and Future Heathrow.

Karen Buck: Future Heathrow has the same access to information on the project of the sustainable development of Heathrow as do any other parties with an interest in Heathrow issues.

Future of Transport White Paper

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether a Sustainable Development Appraisal was undertaken prior to publication of The Future of Transport White Paper.

Karen Buck: A Sustainable Development Appraisal of the 'Future of Transport' White Paper was published on 21 March 2005, and can be viewed on the Department's website. Copies of the appraisal have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

M1 Speed Limit

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a 50 mph speed limit has been imposed for the first few yards of the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway.

Stephen Ladyman: A 50 mph speed limit was introduced in 1994 following the construction of the A406 westbound link road. The link road was constructed to ease congestion at the Staples Corner roundabout.
	Due to the constraints of the site it was not possible to build this section of road to full motorway design standards. The 50 mph limit was introduced in the interests of road safety.

New Cars

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average weight of a new car has been in each year since 1985.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not available.

One Train-operating Company

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints his Department has received about the One train-operating company.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally by the Department. Information regarding complaints can be obtained from Train Operating Companies or the Rail Passengers Council.

One Train-operating Company

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport against what criteria the performance of the One train operating company will be assessed when deciding whether or not to renew its franchise.

Derek Twigg: Franchises are let by open competition. The current One franchise is not due to expire until April 2011, or April 2014 if specified performance targets are met. The exact criteria for its re-franchising will not be determined until nearer that time.

Pelican and Puffin Crossings

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned on the effectiveness of (a) pelican and (b) puffin crossings.

Karen Buck: Pelican crossings were introduced in 1969. We have no recent studies of their effectiveness but studies into the effects of converting a zebra to a pelican crossing, comparisons of pedestrian crossings, and the comparative safety of pedestrian crossings were conducted in the years following their introduction. Reports are available from TRL Limited (formerly the Transport Research Laboratory).
	Research carried out by the Transport and Research Laboratory for my Department in 1992 following the introduction of new puffin crossing estimated an average net benefit of approximately £10,000 per site per annum through reduced vehicle delays, giving an overall benefit across the country of about £50 million, if installations were to take place at all sites.
	The Highways Agency commissioned work from the London Accident Analysis Unit in 1996 to carry out a comparative accident study at five pelican crossing conversions to puffins. The investigations found that puffin was no worse than a pelican crossing but in some cases it was better in terms of accidents involving pedestrians.
	Further research has been commissioned by the Department for Transport to examine the effectiveness of puffin crossings at six sites and the effect of the new crossing on pedestrian and driver behaviour. This work will conclude by the end of this year.

Ports Strategy

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to bring forward a national ports strategy.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department announced in The Future of Transport" White Paper (Cm 6234, paragraph 7.28) their intention to review the national framework of ports policy once decisions have been taken on the outstanding applications for major container-port development. That remains the case.

Railway Punctuality

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the change in punctuality levels on the railways between 1998 and 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Moving Annual Average (MAA) of the Public Performance Measure (PPM) of rail performance fell from 89.7 per cent. at March 1998 to 86.1 per cent. in the month before the Hatfield accident (October 2000).
	The Hatfield accident revealed the degree to which the network had deteriorated under Railtrack and led to temporary speed restrictions being imposed across the network. The levels of PPM subsequently fell to 64 per cent. in the three months following the accident.
	Since Hatfield there has been a slow recovery in performance.
	Network Rail and the train companies have put in place programmes to reduce the major causes of delay with targeted plans which have delivered improvement.
	There has been a continual and increasing rate of improvement in rail performance with the moving annual average of PPM increasing from 78.0 per cent. at the end of March 2002 to 82.8 per cent. at the end December 2004.

Road Accidents

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he collects on the relative likelihood of being involved in a road accident in (a) a saloon car and (b) a 44 vehicle.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

Solar-powered Devices

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what use (a) is being made and (b) is planned for solar-powered devices on, over or under the road network; whether trials of such equipment are scheduled; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Individual solar-powered devices are used by highway authorities as an energy source on road side equipment, such as speed actuated signs, where practicable and cost effective. The Highways Agency is undertaking trials into the effectiveness of solar panels mounted alongside trunk roads. A separate trial is evaluating the use of the road as a collector for solar energy.

Terrorism

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what exercises the (a) armed forces and (b) emergency services have carried out with (i) airlines and (ii) the commercial aviation sector in relation to the terrorist threat from (A) surface to air missiles and (B) hijacked aircraft used as weapons.

Karen Buck: Counter Terrorist exercises are the responsibility of the Home Office. The Department for Transport and the Ministry of Defence participate in and facilitate such exercises as necessary.
	It is not appropriate to disclose further details about these exercises.

Train Evacuation (Burton-upon-Trent)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a mass evacuation of a train took place on 16 May near Burton-upon-Trent; what investigations are being carried out into this incident; whether rolling stock failure was a cause of the incident; what assessment he has made of the safety implications of the incident; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: At 09:50 on 16 May, the 06:40 Virgin Cross Country Newcastle Central–Bournemouth service was evacuated near Burton-on-Trent station, because of the fire risk posed by leaking diesel fuel. Network Rail and the emergency services attended the incident.
	The incident is now under investigation by Network Rail and the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI), the Government's independent railway health and safety regulator.
	Two of the train's diesel fuel tanks had ruptured leading to the leakage of diesel fuel onto the track. The causes of the fuel tank ruptures are still under investigation.
	All passengers were evacuated safely by 10:10 and no fire was reported subsequently. HSE supports fully the precautionary approach taken by the train's crew and Network Rail staff in evacuating passengers. HSE's HMRI will ensure that any lessons are learnt.

Train-related Deaths

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have died on train lines in each year since 1990; and how many of them were suicides.

Derek Twigg: The following table provides (a) the details of the number of people that have died on Britain's train lines since 1990 and (b) how many of these were recorded as suicides.
	
		Total suicides and overall annual fatalities on Britain's railways, 1990–2004
		
			  (a) Total fatalities(5) (b) Suicides(6) 
		
		
			 1990 389 157 
			 1991–92(7) 444 183 
			 1992–93 303 132 
			 1993–94 303 141 
			 1994–95 296 135 
			 1995–96 274 139 
			 1996–97 277 119 
			 1997–98 313 132 
			 1998–99 286 115 
			 1999–2000 339 133 
			 2000–01 338 132 
			 2001–02 307 124 
			 2002–03 306 118 
			 2003–04 277 101 
			 2004(8)(9) 212 43 
		
	
	(5)The total fatalities group includes fatalities of passengers, railway employees and other members of the public, trespasses and suicides.
	(6)Suicides are a sub-set of the total fatalities group.
	(7)1991–92 was a 15-month period (1 January 1991 to 31 March 1992).
	(8)Of the 151 trespasser fatalities in 2004, a total of 98 are suspected suicides (but only 43 have yet been recorded formally as suicide).
	(9)Provisional figures for the nine-month period (1 April 2004 to 31 December 2004).

UK Merchant Marine

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what exercises the (a) armed forces and (b) emergency services have carried out with (i) ships and (ii) staff of the merchant marine to prepare for terrorist risks (A) at sea, (B) from the sea to coastal regions and (C) in ports.

Stephen Ladyman: Counter Terrorist (CT) exercises are the responsibility of the Home Office. The Department for Transport (DfT) participates in and facilitates such exercises as necessary. DfT has been involved in six maritime CT exercises since the beginning of 2005.
	It is not appropriate to disclose further details about these exercises.

Vision Zero

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transportif he will make a statement on the Vision Zero project.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department for Transport (DfT) is supporting a research project being conducted by the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York entitled Vision Zero—A Risk Assessment of Adopting a Target of Zero for Road Traffic Accident Fatalities and Serious Injuries. The researchers submitted the idea to the DfT Horizons programme which funds research intended to alert and inform the Department about long-term potential opportunities for, and risks to, achieving our policy and operational objectives.
	Work is currently in progress and a report is expected later this year on the Swedish experience of adopting a Vision Zero policy and the potential risks, costs, benefits and opportunities of a 30-year Vision Zero strategy in the UK. Further details about the project are given on the Department's Research Database http://www.rmd.dft.gov.uk where the results of the work will appear on completion.

DEFENCE

Scottish Infantry Regiments

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet representatives of veterans' organisations to discuss changes in the Scottish infantry.

Don Touhig: My colleagues have had several meetings with interested organisations to discuss these changes, and I look forward to meeting veterans' representatives to address the variety of issues of interest to them. Principal among these will be the many commemorative events in July to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the second world war.

Scottish Infantry Regiments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) complement and (b) strength is of each of the six Scottish infantry regiments; and what it has been in each year since 2001.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member once the current data for 2005 have been collated. The establishment, trained strength and difference of each of the Scottish infantry regiments from January 2001 to January 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			 Highlanders Establishment Trained strength Difference 
		
		
			 2001 610 495 -115 
			 2002(10) 665 520 -145 
			 2003(10) 625 520 -105 
			 2004 625 525 -100 
		
	
	(10)Strength totals for 2002 and 2003 exclude Gurkhas attached to the regiment: 100 in 2002 and 110 in 2003.
	
		
			 Black Watch(11) Establishment Trained strength Difference 
		
		
			 2001 670 565 -105 
			 2002 675 535 -140 
			 2003 675 585 -90 
			 2004 675 635 -40 
		
	
	(11)Black Watch totals exclude BW LAD REME.
	
		
			 Royal Scots Establishment Trained strength Difference 
		
		
			 2001 610 515 -95 
			 2002 620 495 -125 
			 2003 620 525 -95 
			 2004 620 555 -65 
		
	
	
		
			 Royal Highland Fusiliers Establishment Trained strength Difference 
		
		
			 2001 605 530 -75 
			 2002 620 530 -90 
			 2003 620 540 -80 
			 2004 620 580 -40 
		
	
	
		
			 King's Own Scottish Borderers Establishment Trained strength Difference 
		
		
			 2001 640 585 -55 
			 2002 620 645 25 
			 2003 665 630 -35 
			 2004 670 585 -85 
		
	
	
		
			 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Establishment Trained strength Difference 
		
		
			 2001 610 590 -20 
			 2002 620 580 -40 
			 2003 625 575 -50 
			 2004 615 570 -45 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.The figures are at 1 January each year. 2.All figures have been rounded to the nearest five. 3.Totals are for Regular Army officers and soldiers. 4.FTRS have been excluded. 5.Totals include members of other arms/services attached to each regiment.

Defence Procurement

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reviews have been undertaken of project management arrangements with his Department's procurement processes.

Adam Ingram: The Acquisition Policy Board, chaired by the Minister for Defence Procurement, has recently been established to oversee acquisition processes across the MOD. These processes are constantly under review. For example the DPA Forward programme is implementing the Chief of Defence Procurement's stocktake of Smart Acquisition.
	In May the National Audit Office published a report on Effective Project Control, comparing the MOD with overseas and industry practice. It identified a number of examples where the MOD compared well to their gold standard" including the refit of HMS Illustrious, the Titan and Trojan engineer tanks and the Future Infantry Soldier Technology project.

Defence Procurement

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in procurement of two new aircraft carriers.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Stephen Hammond), Official Report, col. 979.

Iraq

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on British forces stationed in Iraq.

John Reid: British Forces are in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi Government, as part of the multi-national effort to help the Iraqi people achieve stability, democracy and prosperity. There are now around 8,500 UK troops in Iraq, providing security and building the capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces.

Iraq

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists are deployed in Iraq.

Don Touhig: As at 1 June the number of Reservists deployed in Iraq was 583.

Iraq

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in Iraq.

John Reid: Insurgents continue in their efforts to destabilise progress in Iraq. Despite a recent upsurge, the number of insurgent attacks has declined since the January elections, with Iraq Security Forces conducting a number of anti-insurgent operations, both independently and with coalition support.

Defence Aviation Repair Agency

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has completed his review of the future of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We are examining a range of options for the future of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. This work is being done objectively, and the basis for any final decisions will rest on the quality of support to the front line and overall value for money.
	I hope to be in a position to make an announcement on the way ahead for DARA before the summer recess. We will, of course, be consulting with our colleagues in the Welsh Assembly and the Trades Unions before any final decisions are taken in respect of DARA operations at St. Athan.

Royal Marine Corps

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of the Royal Marine Corps over the next five years.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Marines will continue to provide the amphibious infantry component of our joint expeditionary capabilities. As part of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force, they will be at high readiness for a range of tasks requiring versatility, high mobility and sustainability. In recent years, the Royal Marines have operated with great success in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. They are currently introducing important new equipment including Viking protected vehicles and Bowman radios.

Asian Tsunami (Relief Operations)

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State forDefence what role UK armed forces are playing in relief operations for the people affected by the Asian tsunami.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence and the United Kingdom's Armed Forces responded quickly and effectively to the tsunami disaster, working closely with the Department for International Development to provide military support to the relief effort. These operations ceased in February, and all UK forces involved have now returned home or are deployed on other operations.

Army Manning

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on manning levels in the Army.

Don Touhig: As at 1 April 2005 the total trained strength of the Army was 102,440 against a requirement of 104,170—a shortfall of 1.7 per cent. This is within the plus one per cent. or minus two per cent. tolerance set by the Ministry of Defence's Public Sector Agreement, and represents an improvement on recent years.

Royal Anglian Regiment

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where he expects the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Royal Anglian Regiment to be permanently based under his proposals to re-structure the infantry.

Adam Ingram: Basing arrangements for infantry regiments under the Future Infantry Structure have yet to be determined.

Royal Welsh Regiment

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the headquarters of the newly established Royal Welsh Regiment will be in Wales.

Adam Ingram: A review has recently been initiated to determine the most effective and efficient method of delivering Infantry Regimental Headquarters (RHQs) functions in support of the Future Infantry Structure. This review will consider the number and location of RHQs required across the infantry. It is too early to speculate on the outcome of this review in relation to the Royal Welsh, or any other, Regiment.

Argentine Air Force

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many encounters RAF combat air patrols have had with the Argentine Air Force since January.

Adam Ingram: There have been no encounters between RAF Combat Patrol Aircraft and aircraft from the Argentine Air Force since January 2005.

FRES

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Future Rapid Effect System will enter service with the Army.

Adam Ingram: The FRES programme is currently in the initial Assessment Phase. An In-Service Date will not be set until the main investment decision, but initial estimates are that FRES will enter service early in the next decade, with a phased approach to achieving full operational capability thereafter.

Kellogg, Brown and Root

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role and responsibilities of Kellogg, Brown and Root in the design and build of the two aircraft carriers commissioned by the Government.

Adam Ingram: In line with our announcement of 8 February 2005, discussions continue on the roles andresponsibilities of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance Participants, including those of the preferred Physical Integrator Kellogg, Brown and Root Ltd. UK.

Ulster Defence Regiment

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards the establishment of a fund to assist the widows and dependants of Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers in Northern Ireland who lost their lives in the service of the community; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

TREASURY

Art Acquisition (Goodison Report)

Mark Fisher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish a response to the report he commissioned in 2003 from Sir Nicholas Goodison on the acquisition of works of art.

Des Browne: Since the publication of the Goodison Review in January 2004, the Government have made substantial progress in taking forward many of the recommendations. In the 2004 Spending Review the Government announced that:
	annual funding for the National Heritage Memorial Fund will double by 2007–08, compared to 2004–05;
	the Renaissance in the Regions programme for regional museums will be extended to all nine English regions; and
	the free access commitment, which currently covers the main national museums and galleries, and the VAT refund scheme that helps deliver free access, will be extended to university museums and galleries.
	Other recommendations are being considered as part of The Treasury's and HMRC's ongoing work. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is also transferring a number of administrative functions to the Museums Libraries and Archives Council (formerly Resource) as recommended by the Goodison Review.

Child Benefits (UK Citizens Abroad)

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many UK citizens living abroad are in receipt of (a) child benefit and (b) child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Apart from under specified circumstances, child benefit (CB) and child tax credit (CTC) are only payable to people who are present and ordinarily resident in the UK. The residence rules for eligibility to CB and CTC are explained on the HMRC website, at www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/residence-rules.htm.
	About 10,000 CB recipients are classified as overseas" in the published geographical analyses. Around 6,000 of which are also claimants in child tax credit awards.

Child Trust Funds

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the number of Child Trust Fund vouchers sent out to date; how many vouchers he estimates have not been claimed; how many vouchers have been used to establish Child Trust Fund accounts; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Child Trust Fund vouchers do not need to be claimed, they are sent automatically to parents of eligible children once child benefit has been awarded. Figures for the number of vouchers sent and the number of accounts opened are being published quarterly on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/child-trust-funds. htm. The first set of quarterly figures was published on 31 May.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter dated 8 March from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituents Mr. and Mrs. K. Milne of Peterhead.

Dawn Primarolo: A full reply to the hon. Member's letter was sent on 16 May.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria the Valuation Office Agency will use to value a residence during the council tax revaluation in England.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is available on the Valuation Office Agency website at: http://www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/ct-reval-2007/introduction-nov04.htm.

Council Tax

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum raised from council tax in Wales in each year since 1997 was reported to HM Treasury for the purpose of assessing the block grant for Wales under the Barnett formula.

Des Browne: Expenditure in Wales financed by council tax is not part of the block grant payable by the Wales Office to the Welsh Assembly Government.

Customs and Excise

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on ongoing criminal investigations into cases of fraud by staff working for Customs and Excise in which charges have not yet been brought.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no ongoing criminal investigations by HM Revenue and Customs into cases of fraud in which charges have not yet been brought where former members of staff of Customs and Excise have been positively identified.

Customs and Excise

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on investigations into cases of (a) fraud and (b) fraud by members of staff in Customs and Excise since 1990 in which all proceedings are complete.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department investigates a variety of different types of fraud under statute. Information on investigations into cases of fraud could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
	As far as fraud by members of staff is concerned, the figures that we have are as follows:
	
		
			 Reporting period Number of cases 
		
		
			 2004–05 10 
			 2003–04 24 
			 2002–03 17 
			 2001–02 30 
			 2000–01 33 
			 1999–2000 53 
			 1998–99 39 
			 1997–98 35 
			 1996–97 24 
			 1995–96 38

Data Protection

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions he has given to Inland Revenue offices on the application of the Data Protection (Processing of Sensitive Personal Data) (Elected Representatives) Order 2002 to communications to the Revenue from hon. Members on behalf of their constituents.

Dawn Primarolo: No specific instructions have been given HMRC offices as regards the application of the Data Protection (Processing of Sensitive Personal Data) (Elected Representatives) Order 2002.

Departmental Expenditure Limit (Wales)

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the departmental expenditure limit for the (a) former Welsh Office and (b) National Assembly for Wales was in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: Data on Departmental Expenditure Limits, including the Welsh Assembly DEL, are published in the annual Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses. The latest data is in Table 1.11 of the 2005 edition of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm6521).
	The Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Wales Office is contained within the Departmental Expenditure Limit of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

EU Aid Provision

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the increased aid pledged by EU member states will be delivered (a) bilaterally, (b) via the EU, (c) via the World Bank, (d) via the UN AIDS Fund and (e) via other multilateral agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The EU member states made an historic commitment last month to double aid by 2010. Taking account of faster timetables towards the UN target of 0.7 per cent. ODA/GNI, EU aid will double from $40 billion in 2004 to $80 billion in 2010. It will be for individual member states to decide how the increased aid will be allocated.

EU Budget Rebate

Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK's gross contribution to the EU will be for the years 2004 to 2008 (a) including and (b) excluding the UK abatement.

Ivan Lewis: The latest forecast of the UK's gross contributions, before and after abatement, for the period 2004–05 to 2007–08 are set out in the following table.
	
		£ billion
		
			   Gross contribution Gross contribution after abatement 
		
		
			 2004–05 12.1 8.4 
			 2005–06 11.4 8.1 
			 2006–07 13.5 9.4 
			 2007–08 14.6 10.0 
		
	
	These estimates span the current Financial Perspective, which runs until 2006, and the beginning of the next Financial Perspective, which will set the EC Budget and policy framework for the period 2007 to 2013. Negotiations on the next Financial Perspective are ongoing and the above estimate for 2007–08 assumes an appropriately uprated roll forward of the status quo. It is without prejudice to the Government's assessment of the likely outcome of the ongoing negotiations on the next Financial Perspective.

EU Budget Rebate

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the net UK contribution to the EU budget in each of the next 10 financial years if the UK rebate (a) remains in its current form and (b) is frozen at the current level.

Ivan Lewis: The Government's latest forecast of UK net contributions to the EC budget, which covers the period to 2007–08, was included in a footnote to Table C11 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 372, page 257) published on 15 March 2005. This forecast is used for public expenditure planning purposes and assumes an appropriately uprated roll forward of the status quo. The continuing inefficiencies and inequities on the expenditure side of the budget, and the resulting unfairness of the UK position, mean the abatement remains fully justified and is not up for negotiation.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i)Committee on mutual assistance in customs and agricultural matters, including operation of the CIS, (ii)Customs Code Committee—general customs rules and (iii) Customs Code Committee—recovery of claims met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: All the following meetings were held in Brussels and were attended by an official of HM Customs and Excise.
	(i) Italian presidency
	7 July 2003
	Irish presidency
	27 February 2004
	Dutch presidency
	15 July 2004
	(ii) Italian presidency
	24 September 2003
	Irish presidency
	14 January 2004
	5 February 2004
	26 April 2004
	24 May 2004
	Dutch presidency
	25 October 2004
	(iii) Italian presidency
	12 September 2003
	7 October 2003
	12 December 2003
	Irish presidency
	25 March 2004
	6 May 2004
	17 June 2004
	Dutch presidency
	7 September 2004
	19 October 2004

EU Legislation

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what EU legislation was implemented by (a) the measure IR35 (National Insurance: Service Provision through Intermediaries) in October 1999, (b) the Tax Credits Act 1999 and Accompanying Regulations (Working Families Tax Credit), (c) the Aggregates Levy (General) Regulations 2002 and (d) the Child Trust Funds Act 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: No EU legislation was implemented as a result of any of these measures.

Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of identity fraud associated with the new tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC are currently reviewing a random sample of finalised 2003–04 awards—the first year of working tax credit and child tax credit—to monitor the level of fraud and claimant error. However they will only be in a position to give an indication of the level of fraud or error later this year when that exercise has been completed.
	To help prevent identity fraud HMRC:
	Revise and refine their risk monitoring arrangements to respond effectively
	Continually review their IT, business support and processes to identify any vulnerability to attacks
	Review the weighting and effectiveness of their detailed risk rules to rapidly identify cases for proactive intervention by specialist teams, such as stopping payment, or commencing a criminal investigation.
	A new criminal offence of tax credit fraud has also been introduced and HMRC have successfully prosecuted 260 tax credit cases since 2003.
	In any instance where HMRC do discover that a genuine claimant's identity has been misused by others, it aims to remedy the situation as quickly as possible and minimise any distress caused by those unlawfully impersonating that individual.

Fuel Duty

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on levels of fuel duty and their impact on the competitiveness of UK road hauliers.

John Healey: The duty rate for ultra-low sulphur diesel is now 1.72 pence per litre less than it was in 2000. This equates to a duty rate reduction of around 12 per cent. in real terms since then.
	We recognise the concern within the UK haulage industry about its competitiveness with overseas hauliers, and are therefore implementing our plans to introduce a lorry road-user charge, accompanied by offsetting tax cuts for hauliers who purchase duty-paid fuel in the UK.

Identity Cards

Brian Iddon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what role he expects the civil registration service to play in the issuing of identity cards.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Brian Iddon, dated 6 June 2005
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the role of the civil registration service in the issuing of identity cards. (1607)
	There are no plans to involve the civil registration service in the issue of identity cards.

Indebted Poor Countries

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the UK will pay debt service to the International Monetary Fund on behalf of the world's poorest countries; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how he will prioritise cancellation of Iraq's debt and that of other heavily indebted poor countries; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations he has made to other G8 and Paris Club Nations to pay 10 per cent. of the debt service owed by highly indebted poor countries to the World Bank and African Development Bank;
	(4)  what representations he has made to the (a) International Monetary Fund, (b) World Bank and (c) regional development banks to cancel debt owed to them by the world's poorest countries and to revalue gold reserves to finance cancellation; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The UK continues to be absolutely committed to the rapid and full implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative to ensure that it delivers maximum debt relief for the world's poorest countries.
	Many bilateral donors have joined the UK in providing 100 per cent. relief. However, multilateral institutions only provide relief at around half this level. The Chancellor and Secretary of State for International Development announced in September 2004 that the UK would pay our share (10 per cent.) of 100 per cent. debt service relief on all World Bank and African Development Bank loans for all post-Completion Point HIPCs. This relief will also be extended to all low-income countries with sufficiently robust public expenditure management to ensure it helps towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
	The Chancellor discussed this proposal at the G7 Finance Ministers in London in February, and in Washington in April, where the G7 agreed that further debt relief is needed, and to the principle of up to 100 per cent. multilateral debt relief. We are working with G7 countries, the IMF and World Bank to put this principle into action. Canada and the Netherlands have announced that they will join the UK in providing their share of multilateral debt relief. We continue to urge other countries to join us in providing additional multilateral debt relief.
	Iraq is not eligible for the Highly Indebted Poor Countries' Initiative. The UK is in the process of reaching a bilateral agreement with Iraq to implement the terms of the debt relief package agreed between Paris Club creditors and representatives of Iraq on 21 November 2004; Paris Club creditors, including the UK, agreed to provide a total amount of debt reduction to Iraq of 80 per cent. in three phases.
	For IMF debt, we believe the IMF's gold reserves are an under-utilised resource that could be used to finance further debt relief by the IMF. IMF analysis of debt relief and gold sales show that sales of the magnitude which would be required to finance the UK's proposal for debt relief could if properly phased be accommodated by gold markets without significant difficulty, and fall well within the bounds set by official sellers of gold in recent years.

Inheritance Tax Relief

John Grogan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between the granting of inheritance tax relief on land and public access to that land.

Dawn Primarolo: Exemption from inheritance tax for heritage-quality land and buildings is conditional on the owner undertaking, among other matters, to provide reasonable public access. More details of the scheme, and of the properties and land to which the public have access, can be found at http://www.visitukheritage.gov.uk.
	Other inheritance tax reliefs, for example that for agricultural property, are not dependent on public access.

Inland Revenue

Michael Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) industrial, (b) commercial and (c) regional headings under which the Inland Revenue analyses and lists tax receipts.

Dawn Primarolo: Published analysis of the former Inland Revenue taxes are:
	(a) Industrial and commercial
	Income tax—Pay as you earn (PAYE) by standard industry codes.
	Corporation tax by summary trade classification codes grouped into industrial sectors.
	(b) Regional
	Income tax by country, government office region, borough and district or unitary authority.
	Stamp taxes-transactions on residential property by standard statistical region.
	Child and Working tax credits by country, government office region, local authority and constituency.

Inland Revenue

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints have been made (a) directly and (b) through hon. Members in the last 12 months on how the Inland Revenue office in Preston deals with tax credit queries.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to say how many complaints have been made on how the Inland Revenue office in Preston deals with tax credit queries.

Life Expectancy

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of (a) male and (b) female life expectancy for people aged 65 years in (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2030, (iv) 2040, (v) 2050 and (vi) 2060.

Ivan Lewis: The table gives projected period expectations of life at age 65 for men and women in the United Kingdom for the calendar years 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040, 2050 and 2060. 2003 is the latest year for which the data required to calculate actual period expectations of life are available. The figures are calculated using projected mortality rates taken from the latest, 2003-based, population projections for the United Kingdom.
	The period expectation of life figures shown are based on the mortality rates projected by age and gender for the years stated and are the number of years people would be expected to live from age 65 if they experienced those mortality rates throughout their remaining lifetimes.
	
		Period expectation of life for men and women at age 65 in the year shown
		
			 Based on projected data for year: Men Women 
		
		
			 2010 17.8 20.4 
			 2020 19.2 21.8 
			 2030 20.0 22.7 
			 2040 20.6 23.3 
			 2050 21.1 23.8 
			 2060 21.5 24.2

Lorry User Charging Levy

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that the Lorry User Charging Levy is not introduced into Northern Ireland in 2008.

John Healey: The Government are committed to ensuring that all lorries using UK roads contribute on a fair and equal basis towards the cost that they impose. The Government are therefore progressing their plans for a Lorry Road-User Charge (LRUC), which is due to be phased in from 2007–08, accompanied by offsetting tax cuts.

National Debt

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the national debt is.

Ivan Lewis: Figures for public sector net debt in current prices are available on the Office for National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/tsdtables1.asp?vlnk=fsf
	Table 1.1 A: Public Sector Finances (series RUTN and RUTO) shows figures for public sector net debt in £ billion and as a percentage of GDP.

National Insurance Database

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many live entries there are on the national insurance database; and what proportion of the entries he estimates are false.

Dawn Primarolo: The total number of National Insurance (NI) accounts on the National Insurance Recording system (NIRS2) is 73 million. Each year we process one billion transactions and changes to NI records.
	We have no information on the proportion of the entries as being false.
	HMRC has a number of well established processes in place to validate and review the accuracy of National Insurance records. Where incorrect use of a National Insurance Number, such as fraud, is identified, corrective action is taken.

Oil Prices

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forward projections he has made of the price of a barrel of oil in the next 12 months.

John Healey: The oil price assumption underlying the public finance projections, audited by the NAO, is given in Box C1, page 246 of Budget 2005.

Electoral Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the electorate was in each parliamentary constituency in the UK in (a) May 1997, (b) June 2001 and (c) May 2005 (i) in total and (ii) broken down for each constituency, ranked according to the size of change in the electorate between 1997 and 2005, showing the ward with the greatest decrease in electorate at the head and the ward with the greatest increase at the bottom of each list.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 6 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the electorate in each Parliamentary Constituency in the UK, in May 1997, June 2001 and May 2005. I am replying in his absence. (168)
	Electoral statistics are produced annually. Since 2001 they have been collected with a reference date of 1 December, prior to this they were collected in February each year (and in 2001 there were two collections). Consequently, it is not possible to show data for the exact dates requested. Instead, data are shown for February 1997, February 2001, and December 2004. These are the closest available dates.
	I am placing 12 tables in the House of Commons Library, containing the relevant information.
	Parliamentary Constituencies
	Table 1 shows the registered Parliamentary electorate for each Parliamentary Constituency in the UK for the above three dates. Constituencies are ranked by the change between 1997 and 2004. Table 2 shows the same data, but ranked by percentage change between 1997 and 2004.
	For Scotland new Constituencies came into being for the 2005 general election. The data shown in Table 1 and 2 are for the 'old' Constituencies. These Constituencies were the same for each of the three years quoted. However, data are also available on the electorate of the 'new' Constituencies and these are shown in Table 3.
	For Northern Ireland changes in the electoral arrangements in 2002 resulted in a sharp decline in the number of registered electors. These changes included the requirement to complete individual (rather than household) forms, the requirement to re-register every year, and the requirement to provide personal identification details. This will affect the 2004 figures and comparisons with previous years.
	Electoral Wards
	The number, structure, and boundaries of Wards have changed considerably between 1997 and 2004.
	For England and Wales due to the number of Ward changes it is not possible to create a meaningful comparison between 1997 and 2004. It would only be possible to create comparisons between 1997 and 2001 or 2001 and 2004 at disproportionate cost. Table 4, 5, and 6 provide a full list of ward electorates in England for the three years. Table 7, 8, and 9 provide a full list of Ward electorates in Wales.
	For Scotland Table 10 shows the change in Wards between 2001 and 2004. The Wards in 1997 were different and are shown in Table 11.
	For Northern Ireland Table 12 shows the Ward electorates for all three years ranked by the change between 1997 and 2004. There were no boundary or structural changes over this period.

Population (North-east Lincolnshire)

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many primary school age children there are expected to be in north east Lincolnshire in each of the next five academic years.

John Healey: The Information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Shona McIsaac, dated 6 June 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the number of primary school age children there are predicted to be in North East Lincolnshire for the next five academic years. (2041)
	Official 2003-based Subnational Population Projections for England were published by the Office for National Statistics in November 2004. Table 1 attached, shows the projected mid-year population of 5–11 year olds for North East Lincolnshire taken from these projections.
	
		Table 1: North east Lincolnshire projected population of primary school age children(12)
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			 2005 14.3 
			 2006 14.0 
			 2007 13.6 
			 2008 13.3 
			 2009 13.0 
			 2010 12.9 
		
	
	(12)Primary school age defined as 5 to 11-year-olds.
	Source:
	ONS 2003-based Subnational population projections

Population (North-east Lincolnshire)

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many live births there have been in north-east Lincolnshire in each of the past 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Shona McIsaac, dated 6 June 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question concerning how many live births there have been in North East Lincolnshire in each of the past ten years. (2042)
	The data given in the table for each of the ten years between 1994 and 2003, are for live births to mothers who were resident in North East Lincolnshire at the time of the birth.
	
		Live births for North East Lincolnshire 1994–2003
		
			  Number of live births 
		
		
			 1994 2,116 
			 1995 1,987 
			 1996 1,953 
			 1997 1,904 
			 1998 1,854 
			 1999 1,825 
			 2000 1,735 
			 2001 1,641 
			 2002 1,669 
			 2003 1,748 
		
	
	The figures for 1994–2002 were published in Key Population and Vital Statistics Series VS Nos. 21–29. Those for 2003 will appear in No 30, due to be published towards the end of this year

Rateable Values

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in England had a rateable value for non-domestic rate purposes of (a) less than £3,000, (b) £3,000 to £3,999, (c) £4,000 to £4,999, (d) £5,000 to £5,999, (e) £6,000 to £6,999, (f) £7,000 to £7,999 and (g) £8,000 and above in each year since 1991; and what the yield from non-domestic rates was in each category in each year in (i) cash and (ii) real terms.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		
			  2000 Rating Lists  2005 Rating List 
			 Range 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2005 
			  Number of properties with RVs within the range 
		
		
			 Below £3,000 466,104 468,186 466,909 468,267 470,237 412,793 
			 Between £3,000 and £3,999 144,154 144,289 143,219 143,364 143,203 129,316 
			 Between £4,000 and £4,999 119,485 119,751 119,880 120,505 120,918 113,386 
			 Between £5,000 and £5,999 97,726 98,008 98,573 99,101 99,439 98,388 
			 Between £6,000 and £6,999 80,410 80,497 80,598 80,699 80,748 81,914 
			 Between £7,000 and £7,999 66,774 67,014 67,088 67,326 67,344 68,196 
			 8,000 and above 668,148 669,274 671,765 674,362 676,983 751,728 
			 Totals 1,642,801 1,647,019 1,648,032 1,653,624 1,658,872 1,655,721

Red Diesel (Narrowboats)

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether changes are planned to the access for narrowboat owners to red diesel; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to what I said on the Floor of the House on 26 May 2005, Official Report, column 865.

Self-financed Expenditure

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums were reported to Her Majesty's Treasury for self-financed expenditure generated by (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: The data collected by Treasury on local authority spending are reported in Chapter 6 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 6521). Table 6.1 includes data on Local Authority Self Financed Expenditure.

Stamp Duty

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average stamp duty paid for a residential property purchase in (a) England and (b) the UK has been in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Estimates of the average (mean) stamp duty bill paid for a residential property purchase in England and the UK in each financial year since 1997–98 can be found in the following table:
	
		Average stamp duty bill for residential purchases -- £
		
			  England UK 
		
		
			 1997–98 600 570 
			 1998–99 820 780 
			 1999–2000 1,220 1,170 
			 2000–01 1,570 1,480 
			 2001–02 1,880 1,770 
			 2002–03 2,260 2,160 
			 2003–04 2,840 2,560

Tax Credits

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the backlog of work in the tax credit overpayment team is; how many staff are part of that team; and how many additional members have been added to the team in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: In June 2004, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) set up a team to deal with disputed tax credit overpayments. At that time, there was the equivalent of around 105 full time staff working on the team. At 30 April 2005, this figure had increased to around 495.
	At 30 April 2005 there were about 125,000 disputed overpayment cases awaiting a decision. HMRC have recently streamlined their procedures for dealing with disputed overpayments to enable them to deal with these cases more quickly.

Tax Credits

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the value of remitted tax credit overpayments was for financial year (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the administrative cost of assessing tax credit overpayment remittance claims in financial year (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05.

Michael Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the value of overpaid tax credits since April 2003, (b) the amount written off due to official error and (c) the amount to be recovered; and what the timescale for recovery is.

Dawn Primarolo: Overpayments to a value of £51 million have been written off since tax credits were introduced. Of this around £37 million was written off following the identification of a software error that affected some 455,000 households in April and May 2003. The background to this is explained in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General 2003–04, which can be found in the board's annual report at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/report2004.pdf.
	The remaining £14 million had been written off by the Tax Credit Office at 20 May 2005, following consideration of claims for official error in accordance with the Department's Code of Practice 26 What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?" which is available on its website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.pdf.
	The estimated administrative cost of dealing with disputed overpayments was around £0.9 million in 2003–04 and around £7.6 million in 2004–05.
	Statistics on overpayments in 2003–04, including information on their total value, appear in Child and Working Tax Credit Annual statistics 2003–04 payments" and can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.

Tax Credits

Michael Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each month since April 2003 the (a) number of tax credit awards made, (b) number of claims issued, broken down by parliamentary constituency, for overpayment recovery, (c) value of the credits issued, (d) amount of overpayments to be recovered, (e) number of letters received from hon. Members making representations on overpayments and (f) number of letters received from claimants subject to overpayment proceedings.

Dawn Primarolo: For (a) , quarterly estimates of the number of in-work families with tax credit awards (broken down by families with and without children) since July 2003 appear in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics." These can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm. The estimates are based on a sample of cases, and are subject to sampling uncertainty.
	Information for (b) is not available in the format requested.
	For (c), the total expenditure on tax credits in 2003–04, I refer the right hon. Member to page 103 of the Inland Revenue annual report and accounts for that year. This can be found on HM Revenue and Customs website, at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/report2004.pdf. Figures for 2004–05 will similarly be published later this year. Statistics for (d) appear in Child and working tax credit annual statistics 2003–04 payments" and can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.
	Information for (e) and (f) is not held in the format requested. By end March 2005 about 214,000 households had requested that some or all of their overpayment be written off under HM Revenue and Customs' Code of Practice 26, What happens if we have paid you too much tax credits? These were received as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 April and May 2004 1,529 
			 June 12,338 
			 July 17,201 
			 August 8,568 
			 September 28,178 
			 October 25,078 
			 November 22,175 
			 December 15,303 
			 January 2005 18,512 
			 February 23,728 
			 March 41,781

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library all internal Inland Revenue audit recommendations relating to tax credits for the last four years.

Dawn Primarolo: No, to do so would prejudice the effective conduct of internal audit work in HM Revenue and Customs.

Tax Credits

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the efficiency of processing of tax credits claims in the past two months.

Dawn Primarolo: In the year 2004–05 the Inland Revenue had public service agreement targets for handling claims, changes of circumstances and renewals. The targets were to decide 55 per cent. of these within five working days and 95 per cent. within 30 working days, and to process with at least 90 per cent. accuracy. The Department will publish final results in its annual report, which will be available on its website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.
	The results for April and May 2005 will be published in the 2005–06 annual report.

Tax Determinations

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax returns were threatened with determination by the Inland Revenue in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of determinations issued in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 are as shown in the table:
	
		
			 Financial year Determinations issued 
		
		
			 2002 148,661 
			 2003 261,663 
			 2004 245,206 
		
	
	The figures for determinations issued includes tax returns for all years up to the year shown.

UK Economic Forecasts

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from economic forecasting organisations concerning prospects for the UK economy over the next five years.

John Healey: The Treasury regularly surveys the economic forecasts produced by close to 40 independent economic forecasters. The results are published in Forecasts for the UK Economy: A comparison of independent forecasts", which is available from www.hm-treasury.gov.uk.

UK Households

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of UK households were headed by (a) couples and (b) married couples, in each year from 1979–80 to 2004–05; what the estimated figures are for 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Laws, dated 6 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about households in the United Kingdom (UK). I am replying in his absence. (822)
	The attached table gives the proportion of households in the UK who were headed by couples and married couples for the three months ending May of each year from 1992 to 2004, the latest period for which information is available. Comparable information is not available for earlier years. These figures are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
	As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability. Comparable projections for 2005–06 for the UK are not available. However, projected figures for 2006 for England are available from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. These show projections for 2006, based on 1996 data, of 54.2 per cent. of households headed by couples and 50.5 per cent. of households headed by married couples.
	As the data from the Labour Force Survey and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are produced using separate sources, they are not directly comparable.
	
		Proportion of UK households headed by couples and married couples United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted -- Three month period ending May each year
		
			  All couples(13) Married couples(14) 
		
		
			 1992 62.0 56.7 
			 1993 61.2 55.4 
			 1994 60.4 54.5 
			 1995 59.2 53.3 
			 1996 58.4 52.6 
			 1997 58.7 51.9 
			 1998 58.3 51.4 
			 1999 58.1 50.7 
			 2000 58.2 50.5 
			 2001 57.6 49.5 
			 2002 57.2 48.9 
			 2003 56.7 48.3 
			 2004 56.7 48.2 
		
	
	(13)Couples in households as a percentage of all households in the UK.
	(14)Married couples in households as a percentage of all households in the UK.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

UK Presidency (EU)

Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communication activities are planned in relation to the policy areas covered by his Department during the UK Presidency of the EU; and what budget has been allocated for these activities.

John Healey: The external communications activity for the Presidency is being co-ordinated centrally by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Any EU Presidency media activities will be covered within the Treasury's existing budget and no additional funding will be allocated.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Regional Government Referendums

Ian Davidson: To ask the hon. Member representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission 
	(1)  whether the Commission has reported to the Government on the conduct of the referendum on the north-east regional assembly;
	(2)  whether a Government response to the Commission's report on the conduct of the referendum on the north-east regional assembly is expected.

Peter Viggers: I have been asked to reply.
	The Chairman of the Electoral Commission informs me that the Commission intends to publish the reports required by section 5 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 in relation to the administration of the referendum on the north-east regional assembly by autumn 2005. It will then be for the Government to respond as they consider appropriate.

CABINET OFFICE

Downing Street (Refurbishment)

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans there are to refurbish Numbers (a) 10 and (b) 11 Downing street; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: There have been no major works on any of these buildings since 1963. Officials are considering options to bring services and accommodation within the Cabinet Office estate to a modern standard. Any proposals considered will be in line with the listed status of the buildings. No final decisions have been made.

EU Legislation

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list EU directives and regulations that the British Government is seeking (a) to repeal and (b) to amend in the pursuit of its policy of deregulation.

John Hutton: As part of the '6-Presidency' initiative on better regulation in Europe, the UK Government have been working closely with other member states to bring forward proposals for simplification of EU law. A priority list of 15 measures was submitted to the Commission by the Competitiveness Council in November 2004. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library today.
	Regulatory reform will also be high priority for the UK Presidency of the EU in the second half of this year. The Government will be working closely with the Commission and other member states to ensure that the Commission delivers an effective package of further proposals for simplification of existing legislation—including repeal or amendment of legislation which is disproportionately burdensome for citizens and business—later in the year. As a first step, following its Communication Better Regulation for Growth and Jobs" adopted on 16 March 2005, the Commission has asked member states for suggestions of which specific legislation would benefit most from simplification. Cabinet Office officials are currently consulting Government Departments, as well as external stakeholders, to identify suitable candidates which the UK will propose.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Animal Testing

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance his Department is giving to research bodies to encourage them to use scientific research techniques which do not involve animals for risk assessments on chemicals; and if he will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Risk assessments on chemicals are carried out according to EU and UK regulatory requirements to provide the necessary data for the protection of human health and the environment. There is currently a legal requirement to use animals for some testing where there is no other method for producing the data. The Government are keen to keep animal testing to a minimum and supports the development of alternative methods which, once properly validated, may be accepted as part of the regulatory system. My Department is supporting the development of alternative methods and strategies that will lead to the reduced use of animals in chemical assessment programmes and is hosting a workshop on this topic in June.
	The Government through the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) fund the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). The Centre provides a UK focus for the development, promotion and implementation of the 3 Rs in biological and biomedical research in academia and industry.

Bankruptcies

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) personal and (b) company bankruptcies in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough there were in each of the last three years for which figures are available; what assessment he has made of recent trends; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table records the numbers of individual bankruptcy orders and company compulsory liquidations in the London region classified according to Official Receivers' Office from 2002 to 2004.
	Figures are not separately available for Greater London and each London borough.
	
		Numbers of compulsory insolvencies recorded in the London Official Receivers offices, 2002–04l
		
			  Annual totals 
			  2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Bankruptcy orders 1,457 1,933 4,246 
			 Company Compulsory Liquidations 1,147 864 1,114 
		
	
	(15)The 2004 London figure includes Public Interest Unit (PIU) and Carousel, which together amount to 15 bankruptcies and 120 company compulsory liquidations

British Energy

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the occasions between 1 July 2004 and 31 March 2005 on which (a) Ministers and (b) officials met representatives from British Energy.

Malcolm Wicks: The then Minister for Energy, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien) met the Chief Executive of British Energy on 25 November 2004, and officials had very frequent contacts with British Energy in the period up to the successful completion of its restructuring on 14 January 2005. In future, officials will meet British Energy on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues affecting the company, and ministerial colleagues and I will meet British Energy as appropriate.

Climate Change

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work the Department is undertaking in relation to climate change objectives in preparation for UK presidency of the G8 and EU.

Malcolm Wicks: To provide a detailed answer at this stage would undermine our negotiations with other G8 countries. I can confirm, however, that DTI is working actively and closely with the Prime Minister's office, Defra, FCO, Treasury, DFID and other Departments in order to prepare for a successful summit at Gleneagles. DTI's contribution reflects the fact that energy policies are fundamentally important in tackling the causes of climate change: one of the two main themes for discussion. Defra and DTI also co-hosted the Energy and Environment Ministerial Roundtable in March which brought together energy and environment ministers or policy makers from 20 countries with significant energy needs; businesses, NGOs and international organisations such as the IEA also participated.

Departmental Name

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps were taken to put into effect the renaming of the Department as the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry; and what the cost of those steps was.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 23 May 2005
	The renaming exercise only reached preliminary stages. Replacement nameplates for the Department's London buildings were commissioned; a small number of publications and event literature were amended; websites were changed and departmental guidelines and stationery templates were adjusted and distributed. The total cost of these actions was £14,500.

Departmental Name

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of the recent departmental name change reversal.

Alan Johnson: The total cost of reversing the name change back from DPEI to DTI was £15,400.
	This is substantially less than the cost that would have been incurred by completing the implementation of the original name change.

Draft European Computer Implemented Inventions Directive

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from (a) representatives of industry and (b) others following the recent European Parliament report proposing changes to the draft European Computer Implemented Inventions Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Since, the rapporteur Michel Rocard MEP's report on the 13 April, the Secretary of State and his predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, West (Ms Hewitt) have received two letters on the computer implemented inventions directive. One of these letters came from the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents and the other came from the right hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend, passing on the concerns of a constituent. Officials at the Patent Office have continued to engage with all interested parties, having recently completed a series of workshops on the concept of technical contribution" within the directive. These workshops were attended by over 300 people, and a full report is available on the Patent Office website.

Energy Research

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much and what percentage of public expenditure on energy research and development for the financial year 2004–05 was planned to be spent on research and development for (a) nuclear fission, (b) nuclear fusion, (c) fossil fuel generation and (d) renewable energy sources.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 23 May 2005
	The following table sets out the expenditure of the DTI and Research Councils on research and development for nuclear fission, fusion, fossil fuel generation and renewables between 1997–98 and 2004–05. The following figures are in £ million.
	
		£ million
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05(16) 
		
		
			 Nuclear fission 1.04 1.68 2.56 0.13 2.32 2.41 2.31 2.32 
			 Nuclear fusion 16.6 12.6 14.3 17.0 14.4 14.6 15.63 19.53 
			 Fossil fuel generation 3.43 3.0 2.61 4.85 5.52 4.35 6.25 8.13 
			 Renewable energy(17) 13.7 15.0 14.39 15.46 18.82 24.40 29.07 25.16 
			 Other(18) 1.73 1.87 2.00 2.07 2.27 2.65 1.97 4.86 
		
	
	(16)Estimated spend with some elements not included.
	(17)Includes full range of renewables and also Research Council spend on carbon capture, energy storage and networks.
	(18)Includes energy efficiency.
	In addition further research relating to energy is included in the work of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research which has some £10 million funding from Research Councils over 2000–05, and in the work of the Carbon Trust. The UK also participates in international collaborative energy research via the EU and the International Energy Agency.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the (i) Advisory Committee for the transparency of measures governing the pricing of medicinal products for human use, (ii) Advisory Committee on standardisation in the field of information technology (Sogits) met and (iii) Standing Committee for the harmonisation of national legislation relating to recreational craft met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The information requested is as follows:
	(i) The Advisory Committee for the transparency of measures governing the pricing of medicinal products for human use is under the specific responsibility of the Department of Health.
	(ii) The Advisory Committee on standardisation in the field of information technology (Sogits) did not meet during the period in question.
	(iii) It is my understanding that the hon. Member is referring to the Standing Committee set up under Article 6 of Directive 94/25/EC (as amended) on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of member states relating to recreational craft. The Standing Committee met in Brussels under the Irish Presidency on 5 May 2004. Two officials from the Department of Trade and Industry represented the United Kingdom. The UK contributed a number of points to the discussion on the production of guidance for industry and other stakeholders. No meetings were held during either the Italian or Dutch EU Presidency.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the (i) Standing Committee for the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to lifts, (ii)Standing Committee for the approximation of the laws of the member states concerning pressure equipment and (iii)Committee for the implementation of projects, actions and measures for the interoperability of trans-European networks for the interchange of data between administration (IDA) met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The mandate for the lifts Standing Committee is contained in Article 6.3 of the Lifts Directive 95/16/EC. The Committee did not meet during the Italian Presidency. The first Committee meeting was held on 3 February 2004 in Luxembourg during the Irish Presidency and the second Committee met on 9 September 2004 in Luxembourg during the Dutch Presidency. An official from the Standards and Technical Regulations Directorate in my Department and a technical expert from the Health and Safety Executive attended both of the Committee meetings.
	The mandate of the pressure equipment Standing Committee is contained in Article 7.2 of the Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC. The provisions of this Article have not yet been put into effect, so the Committee has never met.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the (i) Committee on the Directives on names and labelling of textile products and (ii) Standing Committee on the harmonisation of national legislation on cableway installations designed to carry passengers met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The Committee on the Directives on names and labelling of textile products met only once during this period, on 30 January 2004 in Brussels. UK representation consists of one official from my Department.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i) Standing Committee on the approximation of the laws relating to construction products, (ii) Standing Committee on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to machinery and (iii) Standing Committee on medicinal products for human use met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: (ii) The mandate of the machinery Standing Committee is contained in Article 6.2 of the Machinery Directive 98/37/EC. The provisions of this Article were first put into effect in February 2005, i.e. during the Luxembourg presidency, and so the Standing Committee did not meet during the presidencies stated.

Exeter Airport

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek an urgent investigation by the Competition Commission of the proposed sale of Exeter airport by Devon county council.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) advises that consideration of this particular case is a matter for the European Commission under the EC Merger Regulation (ECMR). As a competent authority for the purposes of the ECMR, the OFT will retain an interest in the competition analysis of the proposed transaction.

Export Control

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place the minutes of the Export Control Advisory Committee meetings since 13 May 2004 in the Library.

Malcolm Wicks: No. To do so would inhibit the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.

Freedom of Information Act

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many requests for information regarding the 1984–85 miners' strike under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 have been refused by his Department.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 23 May 2005
	The Department has received one FOI request for information relating to the 1984–85 miners strike and the requester was referred to the National Archives as they hold all the Department's records relating to the strike.

MacNaughton Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has established who leaked the paper arguing the case for nuclear energy, drafted by Joan MacNaughton and which appeared in the press at the time of his appointment; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: This leak has been subject to an internal investigation. Our policy is to neither publish nor comment on the outcome of leak investigations.

MG Rover

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when Ministers in his Department first informed the press that they were offering MG Rover (Phoenix Venture Holdings) a bridging loan of £100 million; and for what reasons this information was provided.

Ian Pearson: On 1 April, in response to press speculation, the Department informed the press that if there were the prospect of a commercial deal being done, both MG Rover and SAIC were aware that the Government would consider the option of providing a bridging loan facility to that deal. If it were to be offered, any potential bridging loan facility would be provided under strict criteria to ensure the proper use of taxpayer's money and would of course be fully repayable.
	No formal decision to offer a bridging loan to MG Rover was taken by the Department. This position was set out in the then Secretary of State's statement of 7 April.

Packaging Regulations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage change in the amount of packaging used for food and drink products has followed the implementation of the packaging (essential requirements) regulations 2003.

Alun Michael: Packaging data collected in the UK do not show sector specific changes, instead they show material specific tonnage to enable the monitoring of performance against the targets set by the packaging and packaging waste directive 94/62/EC (as amended). DEFRA's data note (as at July 2004) shows that since 1998, the estimated total tonnage of packaging flowing into the UK waste stream has dropped from 10.2 million tonnes to 10.1 million tonnes in 2003 (i.e. 0.98 per cent.) even though consumption of the packaged product has increased.

Packaging Regulations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions have been instigated under the packaging (essential requirements) regulations 2003; and what the results have been.

Alun Michael: To date, three successful prosecutions have been brought under the packaging (essential requirements) regulations. One company was fined a total of £600, another £250 and the most recent £2,000.

Power Stations

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list (a) the power stations operating in the UK and (b) the power stations that have been decommissioned since 2001.

Malcolm Wicks: A list of UK power stations can be found on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/inform/energy_stats/electricity/dukes5_11.xls
	A list of generation disconnections can be found at table 3.7 of National Grid Transco's Seven Year Statement: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/library/documents/sys_04/dddownloaddisplay.asp?sp=sys_ Table3_7

Premium Rate Lines

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the number of people affected by malpractices in the premium rate telephone information services industry.

Alun Michael: holding answer 26 May 2005
	In the first quarter of 2005 complaints received by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) were down by a third compared to 2004 at 8,446 complaints. This represents a 33 per cent. reduction in the number of complaints compared to the first quarter of 2004, during which ICSTIS received 12,542 complaints. ICSTIS has taken a number of measures to inform consumers about premium rate services and numbers that appear on their telephone bills, and has increased its use of emergency procedures to close down services before they can cause extensive consumer harm.

Premium Rate Lines

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the role of the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services in investigating malpractice in the telephone services industry.

Alun Michael: holding answer 26 May 2005
	The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) regulates premium rate services via a code of practice approved by the Office of Communications (Ofcom). ICSTIS fines service providers for breaching its code of practice and disconnects services which cause consumer harm.
	In the course of 2004, DTI asked Ofcom to review theregulation of premium rate services to ensure that the right level of protection is in place to protect consumers. Ofcom has now produced its report with recommendations designed to strengthen the enforcement powers and improve the effectiveness of the system of regulation. We are now working of ICSTIS to implement these recommendations as soon as possible.

Premium Rate Lines

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what penalties are imposed on operators of premium rate lines who advertise the number without disclosing the cost per minute.

Alun Michael: The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) has responsibility for the regulation and promotion of all Premium Rate Services (PRS). All PRS providers have to comply with ICSTIS's Code of Practice, which makes it a breach to advertise a number without disclosing the cost per minute. Those providers found to be in breach can be warned both informally and formally, shut down immediately using their Emergency Procedure, barred from operating and fined up to £100,000.

Premium Rate Lines

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services has taken against the operators of premium rate phone line 09050099178; and who the operator of this line is.

Alun Michael: The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) raised a number of breaches of its Code of Practice after receiving 43 complaints about companies operating within the 0905 009 9000–9199 number range. Consequently, on 25 May 2005 ICSTIS invoked its Emergency Procedure. As a result all services operating on this number range have been shut down until a full investigation has been conducted and an adjudication made. Should ICSTIS find the provider to have breached its Code of Practice, the provider can also be barred from operating and fined up to £100,000. Details of the operator of the line can be obtained from ICSTIS and details of their adjudication will appear on their website in due course.

Premium Rate Lines

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on procedures for investigation of malpractice in the premium rate telephone information services industry.

Alun Michael: The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) regulates premium rate services (PRS) via a code of practice approved by the electronic communications regulator the Office of Communications (Ofcom). ICSTIS has both a standard procedure, and a fast-track emergency procedure which can be used to disconnect a fraudulent PRS service in as little as two hours.
	In the course of 2004 DTI asked Ofcom to review the regulation of PRS to ensure that the right level of protection is in place to protect consumers. Ofcom has now produced its report with recommendations designed to strengthen ICSTIS' enforcement procedures and improve its effectiveness. We are now working hard to implement all these recommendations as soon as possible.

Supermarkets

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if he will establish an independent inspector within the Office of Fair Trading to regulate the relationship between supermarkets and suppliers;
	(2)  what steps he intends to take to ensure that the relationship between agricultural suppliers and supermarkets does not give undue power to the latter.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Prime responsibility for operating the UK competition regime rests with the independent competition authorities. In the specific case of supermarkets it is the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which is currently responsible for keeping under review the code of practice governing supermarket's relations with their suppliers. It would be for the OFT to consider whether any action would be justified in respect of the grocery market.
	The OFT have been seeking views on competition issues in this sector, including the code of practice. They are considering the responses and will publish their findings in due course.

WEEE Directive

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) complexities and (b) public accountability implications are that make the National Clearing House model for the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive difficult to implement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government announced on 24 March a modified approach to the concept of a National Clearing House (NCH) for the initial phase of the UK's implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (the WEEE Directive). This modified approach builds on the very useful work done previously on the NCH concept by some producers. The Government have made clear that if, after the EU review of the Directive in 2008, producers want to implement a different NCH model, then it would be for them to take this forward.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the use of antisocial behaviour orders against individuals taking part in political demonstrations.

Hazel Blears: The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 sets out the conditions that must be met before an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) can be made. The Act stipulates that to make an ASBO courts must be satisfied that a person has acted in a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as himself and that an order is necessary to protect the community from further antisocial behaviour. An ASBO can only be made by the court if these specific conditions have been met.
	Individuals have the right to demonstrate their views provided they do so within the law and without causing intimidation and distress to others.

Asylum and Immigration

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have provided housing for people who have been granted refugee status since 1 May 2004; and how many such people were housed by each local authority.

Yvette Cooper: Information collected centrally by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about general lettings of local authority housing stock does not distinguish specific groups or characteristics of households.

Asylum and Immigration

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is on issuing food vouchers to asylum seekers.

Tony McNulty: Asylum seekers are not issued with food vouchers. Unsuccessful asylum seekers provided with support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 may be provided with vouchers to enable them to obtain food if they are not housed in full board accommodation.

Asylum and Immigration

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that asylum claimants who are unrepresented at interviews are informed of their right to request that the interview is tape recorded.

Tony McNulty: We have put facilities in place since the date of the Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Dirshe to enable eligible claimants who request it to have their substantive asylum interview tape recorded. To minimise occasions where a request to have an interview tape recorded may not have reached us in time, we have put a procedure in place to ask the claimant on arrival in the Interview Booking Unit whether, if eligible, they would like their asylum interview to be tape recorded. From 26 May, all claimants will be advised of their rights regarding tape recording in the letter inviting them to interview. Once the guidance to interviewing officers has been finalised, this, together with a copy of the invitation to interview letter, will be published on the Immigration Nationality Directorate's website.

Asylum and Immigration

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances asylum seekers have been given permission to work since 2000; and whether those with medical or nursing skills have been favoured when applications by asylum seekers to work in the UK have been answered.

Tony McNulty: Between 1 January 2000 and 2 April 2000 asylum seekers could seek permission to work if their application remained outstanding for longer than six months without a decision being made on it. During this period any asylum seeker, irrespective of the time taken to reach an initial negative decision on their claim, could seek permission to work if they were appealing against the decision to refuse them asylum. The employment concession for asylum seekers was amended with effect from 3 April 2000 to restrict permission to work to those asylum seekers whose application for asylum remained outstanding for longer than six months without a decision being made on it. Those appealing against a decision to refuse them asylum were no longer able to seek permission to work. The concession under which asylum seekers could seek permission to work was withdrawn on 23 July 2002 but it remained possible for asylum seekers to be given permission to take employment in exceptional circumstances. Since 6 February 2005, following the introduction of the EU Directive on Reception Standards for Asylum Seekers, asylum seekers may seek permission to work if their claim remains outstanding for longer than 12 months without a decision being made on it and providing the reason for the delay cannot be attributable to the asylum seeker. The skills or qualifications held by asylum seekers are not taken into account when deciding whether permission to work should be granted.

Asylum and Immigration

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the date of application is of the earliest application for Indefinite Leave to Remain of a failed asylum seeker who was granted Exceptional Leave to Remain which is awaiting a decision by his Department.

Tony McNulty: The date of application of the earliest application for Indefinite Leave to Remain if a failed asylum seeker was granted Exceptional Leave to Remain and is awaiting a decision is 25 March 2003.

Asylum and Immigration

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) immigration officers and (b) senior immigration officers (i) are in post and (ii) represent a full complement at (A) each terminal at Heathrow, (B) at each terminal at Gatwick, (C) Stansted and (D) Luton airport.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the following table:
	
		
			  Target Staff in post 30 April 2005 
		
		
			 Heathrow Terminal 1   
			 HMI/CIO 38.2 34.2 
			 IO 176.3 166.0 
			
			 Heathrow Terminal 2   
			 HMI/CIO 30 33.9 
			 IO 132.7 124.0 
			
			 Heathrow Terminal 3   
			 HMI/CIO 65.4 48.2 
			 IO 326.0 244.2 
			
			 Heathrow Terminal 4   
			 HMI/CIO 38 32.1 
			 IO 175.0 154.1 
			
			 Gatwick   
			 HMI/CIO 75.8 76 
			 IO 316.2 281.6 
			
			 Stansted   
			 HMI/CIO 23 22.2 
			 IO 94.4 101.2 
			
			 Luton   
			 HMI/CIO 6 2.4 
			 IO 29.0 25.4 
		
	
	A number of recruitment campaigns and associated training courses are taking place throughout the year to bring staff numbers up to target levels.
	Senior immigration officer" has been taken to include chief immigration officer and immigration inspector.
	These figures are based on locally collated management information, which may be subject to change and were correct at 30 April 2005. It is not possible to split the Gatwick figure between the two terminals.

Asylum and Immigration

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has conducted on how many economic migrants will be required over each of the next five years to meet demand for workers in (a) the private and (b) the public sector; and what estimate he has made of the number of such migrants who will be required in each case.

Tony McNulty: In a flexible and dynamic labour market such as that of the UK, it is impractical to make forecasts of this nature. As set out in the Home Office Five Year Strategy for Asylum and Immigration, the Government encourages migration for work through a flexible points based system that is employer-led and responsive to market needs, rather than a rigid and arbitrary quota.

BB Guns

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the dangers posed by BB guns;
	(2)  what action he has taken to curb the threat posed by BB guns;
	(3)  what action he is planning to take to reduce the threat posed by BB guns.

Hazel Blears: We are looking very closely at the whole issue of controlling imitation firearms, including air soft guns (commonly referred to as BB" guns).
	There is already a range of controls to tackle the misuse of these guns which cause real nuisance and can result in the deployment of armed police. To help combat the problem, the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 created a new offence of having an imitation firearm in a public place without reasonable excuse. This means that anybody seen in public with an airsoft gun can be challenged and, if unable to give a satisfactory explanation for having it, arrested. It is also a serious offence to threaten other people with imitation firearms.
	We have made it clear that we will not tolerate the use of imitation firearms to threaten and intimidate others and we will be proposing tougher laws on the sale and manufacture of all imitation firearms and tougher penalties for misuse in the proposed Violent Crime Reduction Bill.

Community Support Officers

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) conditions of service and (b) average salary of community support officers are.

Hazel Blears: Police staff, including community support officers, are employed by police authorities and their terms and conditions of service are determined by each authority.
	The interim report of the National Evaluation of Community Support Officers (CSOs) published in December 2004 (available at www.policereform.gov.uk) found that, of the forces surveyed, the minimum pay point, excluding allowances, for CSOs ranged nationally from £14,094 and £19,626 and the maximum ranged from £15,408 to £25,356.

Community Support Officers

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers of arrest community support officers have.

Hazel Blears: Community support officers do not have a power of arrest.

Crime and Policing (Hammersmith and Fulham)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on levelsof (a) violent crime, (b) car crime, (c) robbery and (d) burglary in Hammersmith and Fulham constituency.

Hazel Blears: In 2003–04 in Hammersmith and Fulham the police recorded 1,146 robberies (down 10 per cent. from 2002–03), 2,074 burglary dwelling offences (down 5 per cent), 4,478 thefts of or from vehicles (down 20 per cent.), and 4,287 violence against the person offences (down 1 per cent.).
	The Government have established a number of targeted measures to continue to tackle crime in Hammersmith and Fulham. The area has been part of the Government's successful Street Crime Initiative, and has benefited from intensive national work to reduce vehicle crime and burglary and more recently to tackle violent crime through our alcohol harm reduction strategy and our work to tackle gun crime.

Crime and Policing (Hammersmith and Fulham)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers are operational in Hammersmith and Fulham constituency.

Hazel Blears: On 31 March 2005 the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham had 32.6 full-time equivalent community support officers (CSOs). There are currently 2,143 CSOs in the Metropolitan Police Service (MRS). The deployment of CSOs within the MRS is a matter for the Commissioner.
	There were over 6,300 CSOs in England and Wales at the end of March 2005. We are making significant additional resources available through the neighbourhood policing fund to help forces increase CSO numbers to 24,000 by 2008.

Crime and Policing (Hammersmith and Fulham)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dispersal orders have been issued in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham during the past 12 months.

Hazel Blears: The Commissioner of Police of the metropolis tells me that, in the last 12 months, three areas in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham were designated under section 30 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. In these areas, 82 people were given a direction to disperse.

Drugs Classification

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Paul Goggins: Cannabis was reclassified from Class B to C on 29 January 2004. In March of this year, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to consider all the relevant evidence from recent studies into the links and associations between cannabis and developing mental health problems. The Home Secretary also asked for advice on the claims of greater prevalence of increased strength cannabis. He wants to be clear whether the evidence would alter the Council's overall assessment of the appropriate classification of cannabis. The Advisory Council intends to complete this review by the end of the year. The Government will consider the Council's recommendations carefully before making any decision about the classification of the drug.

Graffiti

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the legislation relating to graffiti in public places.

Hazel Blears: There are a number of powers available to tackle graffiti in a public place, ranging from a Penalty Notice for Disorder for a minor offence of graffiti, up to a £5,000 fine under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The police also have the power to stop and search someone suspected of causing criminal damage. The Home Office is currently reviewing the Graffiti Removal Notice power introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. This power is currently available to 12 local authorities on a pilot basis. Following the review of the pilot a decision will be made on whether these powers will be rolled out nationwide. The Home Office also reviewed the legislation in preparation for the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. This strengthened existing legislation regarding the under-age sale of aerosol paints. The Home Office will keep graffiti legislation under review.

Hertfordshire Police

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to assist Hertfordshire Constabulary in retaining experienced police officers with more than three years' service; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Measures to assist retention in Hertfordshire include the Special Priority Payment Scheme, which gives forces flexibility to target payments at officers in demanding roles, those with higher responsibility than normal for the rank, and where particular recruitment or retention difficulties exist. All officers who joined on or after 1 September 1994 and are not in receipt of a housing allowance are entitled to the south east allowance of £2,000 per annum.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the research on the costs and benefits of the Identity Cards scheme, referred to in his oral answer of 23 May 2005, Official Report, column 412.

Tony McNulty: We have published our current best estimates of the average annual operating costs of issuing biometric passports and ID cards to UK nationals and operating identity verification services in the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the 25 May. The RIA also discusses the areas where the scheme will provide benefits to public and private sector organisations as well as to citizens.

Identity Cards

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what administrative fee an individual will be charged in order to receive an identity card under proposals to introduce a national identity card system.

Tony McNulty: The latest cost estimates are contained within the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published alongside the Identity Cards Bill on 25 May 2005. The current best estimate for the Unit cost of a 10-year adult passport/ID Card package for UK citizens is £93. The costs of producing the passport/ID card are however, different from fees that would be charged for the passport/ID card. Clause 37 of the Identity Cards Bill gives the power for Parliament to approve fees for the ID Cards Scheme. The actual amount charged to a person will depend on future policy decisions on charging within the scope allowed by the Bill.

Identity Cards

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the amount individuals will be charged to acquire an identity card.

Tony McNulty: The latest cost estimates are contained within the Regulatory Impact Assessment published with the Identity Cards Bill on 25 May 2005. The current best estimate of the unit cost of an adult passport/ID card package for UK Citizens valid for 10 years is £93 at 2005–06 prices. Clause 37 of the Identity Cards Bill gives the power for Parliament to approve fees for the ID Cards Scheme. The actual amount charged to a person will depend on future policy decisions on charging within the scope allowed by the Bill.

Identity Cards

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the cost of the identity card database.

Tony McNulty: The latest cost estimates are contained within the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published alongside the Identity Cards Bill on 25 May 2005. The current best estimate of the total average annual running costs for issuing biometric passports and ID cards to UK nationals, and running a verification service is £584 million at 2005–06 prices. This cost includes operating and maintaining the identity card database.

Identity Cards

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of the annual running costs of the identity card scheme;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the cost of introducing the identity card scheme.

Tony McNulty: The latest cost estimates are contained within the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published alongside the Identity Cards Bill on 25 May 2005. The current best estimate for the total average annual running costs for issuing biometric passports and ID cards to UK nationals, and running a verification service is £584 million at 2005–06 prices. Around 70 per cent. of these costs would be incurred in issuing biometric passports alone.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of the additional central IT infrastructure for providing online verification of identity for user organisations; and what methodology was used to calculate the cost.

Tony McNulty: The Regulatory Impact Assessment published alongside the Identity Cards Bill on 25 May 2005 contains the latest cost estimates. The current best estimate for the total average annual running costs for issuing passports and ID Cards to UK nationals is estimated at £584 million. The cost of operating and maintaining those parts of the central IT infrastructure which will support identity verification services is included within this figure, however the costs have not been disaggregated. The costs were calculated in accordance with Government accounting guidelines and Office of Government Commerce best practice.

Illegal Cycling

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to increase (a) police and (b) council powers to confiscate off-road bicycles and quad bikes that are ridden illegally on private land, common land or public roads; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The police already have a power to seize any vehicle which is being driven off-road without authority or on-road carelessly or inconsiderately, if it is at the same time causing alarm, distress or annoyance. Local authorities have powers, including a seizure power, to deal with noise nuisance from off-road vehicles We are satisfied these powers are sufficient and have no plans to increase them.

Illegal Cycling

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to strengthen the law relating to preventing off-road bicycles and quad bikes ridden illegally on private land, common land or public roads.

Paul Goggins: The Government has recently consulted on changes to road traffic legislation in the Review of Road Traffic Offences involving Bad Driving which was published on 3 February and ended on 6 May 2005. The proposals would apply to all motorised vehicles driven on public roads, including quad bikes. In addition the consultation paper asks whether the offence of wanton and furious driving" which is the only offence that applies to non-motorised vehicles and private land, be replaced by a modern provision. We have had a large number of responses to the consultation. We are now in the process of carefully analysing all the responses received and we will publish a summary in due course.

Adventure Capital Fund

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much of the Intervention Capital Fund was allocated to social enterprises in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what criteria are used in allocating funding from the Intervention Capital Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: I understand my hon. Friend is referring to the Adventure Capital Fund, for which a second investment window opens in July. Only Community Enterprises can apply. For Round Two funding they must be engaged in activities covering children and young people; crime reduction; drug prevention; employment initiatives; community care and mental health; or vocational training. They also need to focus on building strong, independent community-based organisations; capacity building; disadvantaged groups; building social capital; or provision of community-based services.
	The Adventure Capital Fund has provided funds (in the form of investments and also grants to help organisations become investment ready) to social enterprises with a community focus as follows:
	
		£
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 2002–03  
			 Main investments 2,000,000 
			 Bursary grants 271,240 
			 Total 2,271,240 
			   
			 2003–04  
			 Main investments 2,126,640 
			 Business development grants 151,000 
			 Total 2,277,640 
			 2004–05  
			 Main investments 1,580,000 
			 Business development grants 150,168 
			 Total 1,730,168

Police Force

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables have been recruited in each of the last three years.

Hazel Blears: Figures showing the numbers joining the special constabulary are given in annual statistical bulletins on police service strength, which are available in the Library.
	The numbers of special constables joining in the last three years for which figures have been published are given in the table. Joiners include those transferring between forces.
	
		
			  Numbers joining the special constabulary in England and Wales 
		
		
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 2,224 
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 1,885 
			 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 1,714 
		
	
	Source:
	Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate Police Strength Bulletins.

Police Force

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the criteria for (a) entry to the police force and (b) training police officers.

Hazel Blears: The entry requirements for police officers were reviewed in 2003 as part of the strategy to develop National Recruitment Standards. These standards now include a national recruitment and assessment process, and standards covering fitness, medical conditions, eyesight and eligibility criteria. These arrangements are kept under review. Effective training to improve operational performance is central to the Government's agenda on police reform and is continually reviewed and developed as part of the drive towards workforce modernisation. The Police Training and Development Board is responsible for this review and development and sets the priorities for new national learning and development programmes. Among others, this board includes representatives from the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Police Authorities, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, Skills for Justice and the Central Police Training and Development Agency (Centrex).

Taser Guns

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to equip frontline officers with Taser stun guns.

Hazel Blears: The current operational use of Taser is limited to use by trained firearms officers, as a less lethal alternative for use in situations where authority to use firearms has been granted. I have no plans for this equipment to be made available to all frontline police officers at the present time.

Police Vehicles

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in the (a) Kent police force and (b) England hold (i) advanced police driving licences and (ii) patrol car licences.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 20 May 2005
	Information is not collected centrally on the number of police officers with advanced police driving licenses or patrol car licences.

Police/Crime Statistics

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to reduce crime in Hertfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Secretary of State has established a comprehensive programme of measures to tackle crime in Hertfordshire, as elsewhere in England and Wales.
	The 10 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) in Hertfordshire are responsible for the delivery of crime reduction at the local level. The performance of the CDRPs is managed by the Home Office team in the Government office for the east of England, whose role is to support and challenge the partnerships in their region. The director of this team is held accountable by the Crime Reduction Director in the Home Office through quarterly bilateral meetings, supplemented by performance review meetings with Home Office performance support managers in the intervening months.
	To ensure that the Home Office meets its Public Service Agreement one, 'to reduce crime by 15 per cent., and more in high crime areas, by 2007–08', the Government offices in the regions have negotiated crime reduction targets with all their partnerships. The aggregate target reduction across Hertfordshire is just over 15 per cent. to be measured by the British Crime Survey (BCS) Comparator using a baseline of 2003–04. The BCS Comparator is a subset of all recorded crime that relates closely to the questions in the BCS.
	All the Hertfordshire partnerships have planned their crime reduction activity for their three-year strategies, which they are implementing from April 2005. The Government office for the east of England will have monitored the contents of these strategies to ensure that they address crimes of both local and national concern.
	The Secretary of State has also initiated a number of national programmes to support the work undertaken at local level.
	Prolific and Priority Offenders—partnerships are required to identify the most prolific offenders in their area and focus their activity on them through three strands, prevent and deter, catch and convict, and rehabilitate and resettle. There are three prolific offender schemes running in Hertfordshire: North Hertfordshire, Watford and Hertsmere. In all 206 prolific offenders have been identified in Hertfordshire.
	The intensive elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme (DIP)—drug testing of offenders charged with a range of trigger offences"—is a way of identifying drug users at an early stage of their contact with the criminal justice system. Key elements of DIP—the throughcare and aftercare parts of the programme—are delivered in all areas of England and Wales.
	Both the Acquisitive Crime Team and the Violent Crime Unit in the Home Office are developing policy that can be implemented at local level to support crime reduction activity. They also undertake research, disseminate publicity and good practice in their subject areas, and visit partnerships with particular needs .
	The Police Standards Unit (PSU) in the Home Office regularly monitors the performance of police forces and, within them, basic command units, and engages with forces who are underperforming on a range of indicators. Forces' performance against their peers is an important aspect of the assessment. PSU have not been engaged with Hertfordshire police.
	Hertfordshire constabulary had 2,135 police officers on 30 September 2004, 213 more than in March 2001. The Crime Fighting Fund has funded 113 extra officers in the force since April 2000, over and above the force'sown recruitment plans. At the end of March Hertfordshire constabulary had 99 community support officers, supplementing the work of the force in providing reassurance to communities.
	The Home Office has made available to all police forces and CDRPs a statistical database, iQuanta, that enables them to monitor their crime reduction performance. Through the crime reduction website CDRPs are able to access 'toolkits' and examples of good practice to help them with planning crime reduction activity.

Police/Crime Statistics

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidences of violent crime there have been in Wales in each year since 2002.

Hazel Blears: There were 56,561 offences of violent crime recorded in Wales in 2002–03 and 56,415 recorded in 2003–04.

Police/Crime Statistics

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidences of drug-related crime there have been in Wales in each year since 2002.

Paul Goggins: Recorded crime figures are used to measure the extent of crime in local areas. Although these include statistics on drugs offences—such as possession—and on property crimes—such as burglary—they do not contain information on the offender's drug habits. It is therefore not possible to estimate from these statistics the numbers of crimes in Wales that are drug-related.

Telecommunications Masts

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the Tetra telecommunications mast in Haverfordwest will remain in its temporary location on top of Haverfordwest police station.

Hazel Blears: The siting of Airwave masts is a matter for O2 Airwave, the network provider.

Telecommunications Masts

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued concerning the siting of Tetra communications masts in the vicinity of (a) special schools and (b) schools.

Hazel Blears: None. There is no reason to treat Airwave masts any differently to any other mobile telecommunications masts. Airwave masts are subject to planning regulations, which are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Ticket Touts

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has played a role in drawing up arrangements to prevent ticket touts re-selling match tickets at inflated values (a) at cricket matches between England and Australia in 2005 and (b) at sports fixtures generally.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 24 May 2005
	Home Office interest in ticket touting is limited to section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which prohibits ticket touting in respect of regulated football matches. This is a public order provision which explicitly applies to football in view of the importance of segregation in reducing the potential for disorder between rival fans. The provision has not been extended to cover other sports as there is no comparable public order threat.

Traffic Wardens

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure that adequate numbers of traffic wardens are recruited in Leicestershire.

Paul Goggins: This is a local operational matter. Traffic wardens are employed by police authorities and act under the directions of the chief officer of police. Their role in enforcing parking restrictions is being reduced as decriminalised parking enforcement is becoming more widespread. Community Support Officers and accredited persons can also exercise certain traffic related powers and these are being extended by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. The recruitment of parking attendants to enforce civil parking infringements is a matter for the local authority.

Watch Schemes

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) Neighbourhood Watch, (b) Shop Watch, (c) Pub Watch, (d) Farm Watch and (e) Rural Watch; and what plans he has to improve co-ordination between such Watch schemes.

Hazel Blears: It is difficult to determine exactly the impact of Neighbourhood Watch (and other Watch activity) on reducing crime in isolation from other factors. The 2000 British Crime Survey found that 75 per cent. of respondents thought that Neighbourhood Watch schemes were effective in preventing crimes such as burglary. The information was published in 2001 as part of Home Office Research Findings 150. The Home Office has not made a separate assessment of the effectiveness of Shop Watch, Pub Watch, Farm Watch, Rural Watch or other Watch" schemes. Following a research and public consultation exercise in 2004, the Home Office is in the process of setting up a new national forum organisation which will act as an umbrella body for the Watch movement as a whole. The new organisation will be a registered charity and independent of Government. It will aim to share good practice within and between different Watch organisations and help to improve co-ordination between them.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Alcohol Education

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are taken in schools to educate children about alcohol.

Jacqui Smith: All schools must teach about alcohol as part of the science curriculum. Schools are also expected to use the non-statutory framework for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) to deliver drug, alcohol and tobacco education. At Key Stages 3 the framework states that pupils should learn basic laws and facts about alcohol and at Key Stage 4, they should learn about the health risks of alcohol.
	The Department is supporting schools by offering a toolkit to support professionals deliver drug and alcohol education. Since April 2004, we have supported 3,000 teachers to complete the PSHE certificate which sets standards in the teaching of drug and alcohol education.

A-level Grades

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students obtaining three or more A grades at A-level were from (a) grammar schools, (b) state schools and (c) independent schools in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of students obtaining such grades in (i)mathematics, (ii) foreign languages and (iii) sciences were from each kind of school in each year.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested on the proportion of students obtaining three or more A grades at A-level by school type is in the following table.
	
		16 to 18-year-old candidates achieving at least three A grades at A-level—1995 to 2004
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 3 A grades in mathematics  
			 Number of students achieving 20 47 50 23 32 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 0.0 8.5 8.0 4.3 0.0 
			 in grammar 20.0 14.9 12.0 17.4 15.6 
			 in independent 80.0 74.5 68.0 69.6 71.9 
			 in FE sector 0.0 2.1 12.0 8.7 12.5 
			   
			 3 A grades in languages  
			 Number of students achieving 17 19 19 31 16 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 11.8 13.3 10.5 19.4 12.5 
			 in grammar 11.8 0.0 15.8 9.7 25.0 
			 in independent 41.2 40.0 26.3 38.7 31.3 
			 in FE sector 35.3 46.7 47.4 32.3 31.3 
			   
			 3 A grades in sciences  
			 Number of students achieving 611 621 729 802 900 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 19.1 19.3 22.2 17.6 21.0 
			 in grammar 14.2 138 15.5 15.6 18.7 
			 in independent 55.8 53.3 48.4 52.0 46.8 
			 in FE sector 10.8 13.5 13.9 14.8 13.6 
			   
			 3 A grades in any subjects  
			 Number of students achieving 12,698 13,305 14,065 15,874 16,550 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 28.1 28.6 28.4 28.6 29.0 
			 in grammar 12.9 12.7 13.4 14.0 14.7 
			 in independent 41.0 40.3 40.4 39.0 38.4 
			 in FE sector 18.0 18.4 17.8 18.4 17.9 
			   
			 3 A grades in languages, mathematics and sciences  
			 Number of students achieving 5,062 5,218 5,518 6,300 6,371 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 26.3 25.7 26.4 26.3 27.6 
			 in grammar 13.4 13.1 13.3 14.1 15.0 
			 in independent 45.1 46.0 45.0 44.3 43.2 
			 in FE sector 15.3 15.2 15.3 15.3 14.2 
			   
			 3 A grades in sciences and mathematics  
			 Number of students achieving 4,664 4,732 5,015 5,756 5,828 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 26.4 25.5 26.7 26.3 27.8 
			 in grammar 13.1 13.1 13.2 14.1 15.0 
			 in independent 45.2 46.3 44.9 44.3 42.9 
			 in FE sector 15.3 15.1 15.2 15.2 14.3 
		
	
	
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 3 A grades in mathematics  
			 Number of students achieving 33 29 39 51 50 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 6.1 3.4 10.3 0.0 0.0 
			 in grammar 12.1 3.4 17.9 7.8 10.0 
			 in independent 75.8 79.3 69.2 86.3 88.0 
			 in FE sector 6.1 13.8 2.6 5.9 2.0 
			   
			 3 A grades in languages  
			 Number of students achieving 20 16 28 45 34 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 10.0 6.3 10.7 11.1 8.8 
			 in grammar 10.0 6.3 17.9 2.2 2.9 
			 in independent 65.0 43.8 46.4 55.6 73.5 
			 in FE sector 15.0 43.8 25.0 31.1 14.7 
			   
			 3 A grades in sciences  
			 Number of students achieving 887 881 1,274 1,168 1,192 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 234 21.7 23.0 22.2 25.3 
			 in grammar 17.1 18.6 19.2 19.4 17.6 
			 in independent 45.4 46.5 43.5 46.1 45.0 
			 in FE sector 14.0 13.2 14.4 12.2 12.1 
			   
			 3 A grades in any subjects  
			 Number of students achieving 17,014 17,900 20,443 22,365 23,953 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 29.2 28.6 28.5 28.2 27.5 
			 in grammar 14.9 15.9 16.6 15.7 16.4 
			 in independent 38.2 37.3 37.5 37.7 37.7 
			 in FE sector 17.7 18.3 17.5 18.4 18.4 
			   
			 3 A grades in languages, mathematics and sciences  
			 Number of students achieving 6,201 6,309 6,991 6,963 7,368 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 26.9 27.2 25.8 25.6 24.6 
			 in grammar 15.3 16.1 17.9 16.5 17.1 
			 in independent 42.7 42.4 41.8 43.4 43.4 
			 in FE sector 15.1 14.3 14.5 14.5 14.8 
			   
			 3 A grades in sciences and mathematics  
			 Number of students achieving 5,657 5,695 6,236 6,161 6,556 
			 Percentage in comprehensive 27.3 27.7 26.5 26.1 25.2 
			 in grammar 15.1 15.9 18.1 16.9 17.4 
			 in independent 42.1 41.6 40.5 41.9 42.1 
			 in FE sector 15.4 14.8 14.9 15.1 15.2

Anti-Litter Campaigns

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to promote anti-litter campaigns in schools.

Jacqui Smith: Anti-litter campaigns are supported by guidance for primary schools relating to the curriculum. For example, geography guidance encourages schools to promote anti-litter activities. Through citizenship lessons pupils learn about what improves and harms their local environments and the ways in which they can play their part in looking after them. Such lessons contribute to pupils' understanding of the consequences of dropping litter.

Anti-Semitism

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will conduct an assessment of levels of anti-semitism in English universities.

Bill Rammell: Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for the management of their own affairs. Their governing bodies have a duty to ensure that non-discriminatory practices are followed, in accordance with current equality legislation. The universities' representative body, Universities UK, has asked the Equality Challenge Unit (sponsored by the HE Funding Councils, Universities UK, and the Standing Conference of Principals) to look at the issue of extremism and intolerance on campus with a view to updating guidance to universities. I welcome this. It would be for Universities UK to monitor levels of discrimination against all minority groups and to consider whether any assessments should be carried out across the sector.

Building Schools for the Future

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the progress of each successful bid in the Building Schools for the Future initiative.

Jacqui Smith: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the strategic programme of capital investment, currently worth over £2 billion a year, through which we are transforming our nation's secondary school estate. More than a quarter of local authorities are now part of this ambitious programme, and the following are some headlines on the progress of current BSF projects.
	Of our 17 Wave 1/Pathfinder projects; 16 Education Visions have been signed off, 11 Business Cases have been approved (the remainder are due to be approved by September 2005). eight projects have gone out to market, three of which have issued their short list of preferred bidders. Local Education Partnerships (LEPs) will be set up between March 2006 and March 2007. The first school will be open by the beginning of 2007. The following table shows the progress each Wave 1/Pathfinder project has made:
	
		Building schools for the future (BSF)
		
			 Local authority Bradford Bristol Newcastle Sheffield Greenwich Solihull 
		
		
			 Number of projects 1 2 3 4 5 6 
			 Percentage 5.9 11.8 17.6 23.5 29.4 35.3 
			 PID issued Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 Education vision signed off Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 SBC submitted to DfES Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 OBC submitted to DfES Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 OBC to PRG review Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 OJEU issued Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 Long list announced Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes — 
			 ITN issued/short list Yes Yes Yes — — — 
			 Preferred bidder announcer — — — — — — 
			 Financial close/LEP set up — — — — — — 
			 Start construction — — — — — — 
			 Opening of first school — — — — — — 
			 Opening of last school — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Local authority Lancs Lewisham Knowsley Leeds Leicester Stoke 
		
		
			 Number of projects 7 8 9 10 11 12 
			 Percentage 41.2 47.1 52.9 58.8 64.7 70.6 
			 PID issued Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 Education vision signed off Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 SBC submitted to DfES Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 OBC submitted to DfES Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n/a 
			 OBC to PRG review Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n/a 
			 OJEU issued Yes Yes — — — — 
			 Long list announced — — — — — — 
			 ITN issued/short list — — — — — — 
			 Preferred bidder announcer — — — — — — 
			 Financial close/LEP set up — — — — — — 
			 Start construction — — — — — — 
			 Opening of first school — — — — — — 
			 Opening of last school — n/a — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Local authority W. Forest Manchester Sunderland STaG Newham 
		
		
			 Number of projects 13 14 15 16 17 
			 Percentage 76.5 82.4 88.2 94.1 100.0 
			 PID issued Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 Education vision signed off Yes Yes Yes Yes — 
			 SBC submitted to DfES Yes — — — — 
			 OBC submitted to DfES — — — — — 
			 OBC to PRG review — n/a n/a — — 
			 OJEU issued — — — — — 
			 Long list announced — — — — — 
			 ITN issued/short list — — — — — 
			 Preferred bidder announcer — — — — — 
			 Financial close/LEP set up — — — — — 
			 Start construction — — — — — 
			 Opening of first school — — — — — 
			 Opening of last school — — — — — 
		
	
	Our Wave 2 authorities are engaged in regular project team meetings. The first Education Visions are expected this month. The first business cases are due to be submitted in September.
	Initial meetings have been held between most Wave 3 authorities and the DfES, PfS and 4ps. Education Visions are due to be signed-off in January/February 2006.
	All local authorities will benefit from the renewal of their secondary school estates through Building Schools for the Future. Broad indications of where they are currently prioritised for investment can be found at www.bsf.gov.uk/documents (Select 'Local Authority Project by Wave').

City Academies

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of lessons in city academy schools are setted.

Jacqui Smith: We do not collect this information centrally. Academies are free to decide whether or not to set classes.

Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which consultants were employed by her Department in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will respond to the letter of 15 April from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire.

Jacqui Smith: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Schools, The Lord Adonis, replied to the hon. Member's letter of 15 April on 27 May.

Education

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications for places in Hammersmith and Fulham schools were turned down in 2004–05.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect this information. The administration of school admissions and the collection of data relating to applications is the responsibility of individual admission authorities.
	However, with the introduction of mandatory co-ordinated admission arrangements for secondary intakes for 2005/06 and primary intakes for 2006/07, local authorities should have more easily accessible information on how well parental preferences have been met for all maintained schools in their area.

Education

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she is taking to increase secondary school provision in Hertfordshire to take account of the increasing population.

Jacqui Smith: It is the responsibility of each local education authority to plan school provision in its area taking account of changes in local population.
	The Department provides capital support for local authorities and schools to invest in school infrastructure, including for the provision of new pupil places. Hertfordshire has received £48.8 million specifically for new pupil places since 1997 and will receive a further £18.3 million over the next three years. The Department now allocates much of its capital resources to local authorities and schools by needs-related formulae, as they can best decide how to target their highest priority needs, in accordance with their asset management planning processes.
	Local authorities can also use other resources such as negotiated contributions from developers for new school provision, under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as substituted by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991).

Education

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take measures to provideall children in Hertfordshire with fully funded access to music classes at primary and secondary school levels.

Jacqui Smith: The National Curriculum provides all children aged 5–14 with a statutory entitlement to music lessons, giving them the opportunity to sing, to play musical instruments, to hear live and recorded music from a range of traditions and styles, to compose and to perform. Music can then be taken as an option at GCSE.
	In 1999 we established a Music Standards Fund of £59 million per year for additional musical activities outside the classroom. Activities funded include instrumental and vocal tuition, festivals and ensembles, instrument loan schemes and remissions policies.
	In 2000 we further pledged that, over time, all primary school pupils who want to should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. We have now piloted a Key Stage 2 instrumental programme in 12 areas, including Hertfordshire. For 2005/06, Hertfordshire received £782,448 through the Music Standards Fund.

Education

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take measures to ensure that all primary and secondary schools in Hertfordshire have music teachers; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Quality music provision depends on having a strong and diverse workforce with a wide variety of skills and experience. Through the Music Manifesto and our ambitious Wider Opportunities programme for primary pupils, we are encouraging classroom teachers to work in partnership with other music leaders and teachers from Local Education Authority Music Services, music institutions such as local orchestras and opera companies and the community music sector.
	From September 2000, £6,000 training bursaries are being paid to eligible students on secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses in music. Between January 2002 and January 2005 we have seen a 38 per cent. decrease in the number of vacant music teacher posts nationally. Figures on the number of vacant music teacher posts in Hertfordshire are not collected centrally.

Education

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take measures to ensure that Hertfordshire's secondary schools retain sixth forms; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The organisation of education and training provision for 16–19 year olds in an area is a matter for local stakeholders, primarily the local Learning and Skills Council and the Local Authority. The LSC informs me that, following consultation on its Strategic Area Review options for Hertfordshire, it has no plans to close school sixth forms in the Broxbourne area. The Department's five year strategy announced measures to increase choice and diversity in 16–19 provision. We are currently developing guidance for stakeholders on this with a view to issuing it in the coming months.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the cost of the education maintenance allowance in each year from 2004–05 to 2008–09; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 May 2005, Official Report, column 48W.

EU Legislation

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what EU legislation was implemented by the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2000.

Bill Rammell: No EU legislation was implemented by the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2000.

Family Planning Funding

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money her Department has given in each of the last five years to (a) Brook, (b) Family Planning Association, (c) Marie Stopes International, (d) British Pregnancy Advisory Service and (e) Education for Choice; and for what purposes.

Beverley Hughes: The amounts paid by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to the organisations listed in the question, along with a summary of the purpose for which the payments were made, are included in the following table. This reply does not include payments which may have been made by the Department of Health in support of the teenage pregnancy strategy, before responsibility for the strategy was transferred to DfES in April 2004.
	
		
			  Organisation Amount (£) Purpose 
		
		
			 October 2004 to March 2006 FPA 250,637 Delivery of the 'Speakeasy' training programme, which enables parents and carers to have more confidence and knowledge in speaking to their children about sex and relationships 
			 2004/05 FPA 10,000 To develop Good Practice Guidance for Primary Care Trusts on delivering young people friendly sexual health advice services 
			 2004/06 FPA 58,000 To develop and deliver a training course for health and non-health professionals, to enable them to provide more proactive contraceptive advice to help young people to avoid second unplanned pregnancies—estimates suggest that 20 per cent. of births conceived to under-18s are second pregnancies 
			 2004/06 FPA 20,565 To deliver courses on sex, relationships, pregnancy and parenthood for those working with looked after children and young people 
			 2004/05 Brook 11,282 To develop a new contraception information leaflet for young parents to help support them in preventing second unplanned pregnancies 
			 2004/06 Education for Choice 38,000 Delivery of training programmes for health and education professionals to facilitate discussion about pregnancy and abortion; revision and development of EfC website; work with boys and young men; and support for parents to help them discuss pregnancy choices and abortion

Foster Placements

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of foster placements ended in adoption in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The table shows the number and proportion of children ceasing to be looked after from a foster placement in England after being adopted in the years 2000–01 to 2003–04.
	
		Children ceasing to be looked after in a foster placement(19)(20)(21) -- Numbers and percentages
		
			  Year ending 31 March: 
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Adopted by former foster carer(22) 430 550 540 510 
			 Foster placement ceased for other reason(23)(24) 14,100 13,900 13,000 13,500 
			 Percentage of children ceasing care from a foster placement adopted 3.0 3.8 4.0 3.6 
		
	
	(19)Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.
	(20)Only the last occasion on which a child ceased to be looked after in the year has been counted.
	(21)Figures under 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 10. All other figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	(22)Figures are taken from the AD1 return.
	(23)Figures for 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 are derived from the SSDA903 one third sample.
	(24)Figures for 2003–04 are taken from the SSDA903 return, which for the first time since1996–97 covered all children looked after.
	Source:
	Table I 'Children Looked After in England (including adoptions and care leavers) 2003–04', Table Z 'Children Looked After by local authorities, Year Ending 31 March 2004'.

Freedom of Speech

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's policy is on freedom of speech in universities.

Bill Rammell: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies responsible for the management of their own affairs. Their governing bodies have a duty to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure freedom of speech within the law for students and members of staff of the institution and for visiting speakers. Governing bodies must also ensure that use of the institution's premises is not denied to any individual or body of people on the grounds of their beliefs, views, policies or objectives.

GCSEs

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Educationand Skills how many pupils sat GCSE examinations in (a) science, (b) biology, (c) chemistry, (d) physics, (e) French and (f) history in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: GCSE (Full Course) attempts 1 of 15-year-old pupils 2 in schools in selected subjects can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of attempts(25) in year Single(28) Award Science Double(28)  Award Science Other(28)(30) Science Biological Sciences(29) Chemistry Physics French History 
		
		
			 2003/04(27) 54,977 479,528 2,732 44,755 43,037 42,447 289,549 205,399 
			 2002/03 53,035 474,451 2,745 43,623 40,865 40,064 304,472 194,801 
			 2001/02 51,662 466,469 2,785 40,526 39,067 38,640 311,847 193,945 
			 2000/01 49,896 464,403 2,977 40,456 38,797 38,455 321,207 195,231 
			 1999/2000 48,565 445,100 3,106 39,376 37,699 37,532 313,146 190,279 
			 1998/99 50,182 441,897 3,423 38,785 37,640 37,205 311,384 188,934 
			 1997/98 52,383 431,348 3,826 37,890 36,544 36,205 307,293 189,070 
			 1996/97 54,631 439,480 4,881 36,641 35,154 34,541 306,055 207,486 
			 1995/96 62,844 434,946 5,344 37,576 36,279 35,727 315,746 212,407 
			 1994/95 59,836 426,573 4,987 34,604 33,598 33,229 316,847 223,357 
		
	
	(25)For each subject, only one attempt per pupil is counted—that which received the highest grade.
	(26)The figures reported relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.
	(27)Numbers for 2003/04 are revised figures, for 1995/96–2002/03 are final figures.
	(28)Figures are not available for Science GCSE but we are able to provide figures for Single Award Science, Dual Award Science and Other Science.
	(29)Biological Sciences includes Human Biology and Social Biology.
	(30)Other Science includes: Science—Biology and Chemistry; Science—Biology and Physics; Science—Chemistry and Physics; Aeronautics; Agricultural Science; Applied Science; Astronomy; Botany; Electronics; Engineering Science; Environmental Science; Geology; Horticulture; Meteorology; Physical Science; Psychology (as a Science); Robotics; Rural Science; Science in society; Science Technology; Zoology.

Gershon Review

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes in expenditure her Department expects to arise from the plans outlined in her Department's technical note produced for the Gershon review proposing (a) a reduction in the number of teachers and their replacement with interactive whiteboards and classroom supervisors and (b) replacing supply teachers with classroom supervisors.

Jacqui Smith: The Department's technical note does not propose (a) a reduction in the number of teachers and their replacement with interactive whiteboards and classroom supervisors or (b) replacing all supply teachers with classroom supervisors.
	The Gershon review focuses on improving efficiency and recycling such gains into the frontline. The Department's expenditure therefore remains unaffected and the Department will continue to invest in schools at the record levels already announced.
	The effective use of information and communications technology (ICT), such as electronic interactive whiteboards, is a significant and powerful tool for increasing teachers' productive time and improving the quality of learning and teaching. ICT supports and enhances quality teaching and is not a substitute for it. The January2005 figures show that the number of teachers increased by 4,000 during the previous year.
	Schools spent around £800 million in 2003–04 on agency staff and supply teachers. As part of remodelling the school work force the Department is supporting schools in developing and implementing more effective and cost efficient solutions. For example, the Department does not believe that it is a good use of teachers' time to cover for absent colleagues. The use of established cover staff for short-term absences provides better supervision by staff who belong to the school and know the children concerned, and at less cost.

Education Finance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the Government grant per pupil in (a) primary and (b) secondary education in Torbay was for the most recent year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the Government grant per pupil in (a) primary and (b) secondary education was (i) in each region in England and (ii) for England as a whole in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The following table gives our most recent figures, for local education authorities in England in 2004–05, for the total funding per pupil in cash terms. These funding figures include funding through Education Formula Spending/Standard Spending Assessment and grants allocated at an LEA level; they also include the pensions transfer to EPS and to the Learning and Skills Council.
	
		England LEAs—funding per pupil in cash terms 2004–05 -- £
		
			   3 to10 years 11 to 15 years 
			   Total Total 
		
		
			  England 3,560 4,460 
			 
			  North East 3,540 4,480 
			 841 Darlington 3,420 4,310 
			 840 Durham 3,440 4,310 
			 390 Gateshead 3,560 4,570 
			 805 Hartlepool 3,610 4,570 
			 806 Middlesbrough 3,890 5,340 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 3,740 4,730 
			 392 North Tyneside 3,390 4,400 
			 929 Northumberland 3,350 4,240 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 3,580 4,500 
			 393 South Tyneside 3,700 4,590 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 3,530 4,520 
			 394 Sunderland 3,550 4,460 
			 
			  North West 3,500 4,400 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 3,860 4,780 
			 890 Blackpool 3,480 4,490 
			 350 Bolton 3,440 4,230 
			 351 Bury 3,340 4,190 
			 875 Cheshire 3,200 4,000 
			 909 Cumbria 3,410 4,190 
			 876 Halton 3,740 4,750 
			 340 Knowsley 3,960 5,130 
			 888 Lancashire 3,370 4,190 
			 341 Liverpool 3,880 4,980 
			 352 Manchester 4,110 5,320 
			 353 Oldham 3,640 4,520 
			 354 Rochdale 3,670 4,660 
			 355 Salford 3,700 4,720 
			 342 St. Helens 3,520 4,510 
			 343 Sefton 3,400 4,370 
			 356 Stockport 3,200 4,050 
			 357 Tameside 3,430 4,310 
			 358 Trafford 3,230 4,090 
			 877 Warrington 3,110 3,960 
			 359 Wigan 3,330 4,170 
			 344 Wirral 3,510 4,480 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 3,470 4,350 
			 370 Barnsley 3,480 4,440 
			 380 Bradford 3,710 4,680 
			 381 Calderdale 3,440 4,300 
			 371 Doncaster 3,540 4,450 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 3,240 3,980 
			 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 3,690 4,650 
			 382 Kirklees 3,530 4,430 
			 383 Leeds 3,440 4,420 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 3,460 4,370 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 3,410 4,270 
			 815 North Yorkshire 3,350 4,020 
			 372 Rotherham 3,500 4,390 
			 373 Sheffield 3,530 4,510 
			 384 Wakefield 3,310 4,140 
			 816 York 3,130 4,020 
			 
			  East Midlands 3,350 4,170 
			 831 Derby 3,500 4,450 
			 830 Derbyshire 3,250 4,020 
			 856 Leicester 3,860 4,670 
			 855 Leicestershire 3,100 3,860 
			 925 Lincolnshire 3,360 4,200 
			 928 Northamptonshire 3,300 4,140 
			 892 Nottingham 3,880 5,150 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 3,210 4,010 
			 857 Rutland 3,310 4,060 
			  West Midlands 3,450 4,340 
			 330 Birmingham 3,840 4,910 
			 331 Coventry 3,570 4,470 
			 332 Dudley 3,230 4,100 
			 884 Herefordshire 3,500 4,240 
			 333 Sandwell 3,660 4,580 
			 893 Shropshire 3,360 4,150 
			 334 Solihull 3,220 4,060 
			 860 Staffordshire 3,140 3,940 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 3,600 4,610 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 3,430 4,300 
			 335 Walsall 3,430 4,270 
			 937 Warwickshire 3,270 4,100 
			 336 Wolverhampton 3,660 4,730 
			 885 Worcestershire 3,140 4,000 
			 
			  East of England 3,430 4,300 
			 820 Bedfordshire 3,370 4,280 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 3,350 4,130 
			 881 Essex 3,460 4,360 
			 919 Hertfordshire 3,400 4,290 
			 821 Luton 3,820 4,850 
			 926 Norfolk 3,430 4,210 
			 874 Peterborough 3,640 4,560 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 3,520 4,490 
			 935 Suffolk 3,240 4,070 
			 883 Thurrock 3,700 4,820 
			 
			  London 4,350 5,440 
			 202 Camden 5,400 6,610 
			 203 Greenwich 4,800 6,060 
			 204 Hackney 5,470 7,310 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 5,240 6,640 
			 206 Islington 5,310 6,850 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 5,440 7,010 
			 208 Lambeth 5,370 7,280 
			 209 Lewisham 4,930 6,490 
			 210 Southwark 5,000 6,940 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 5,630 6,960 
			 212 Wandsworth 4,650 6,050 
			 213 Westminster 5,120 6,270 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 4,060 5,080 
			 302 Barnet 3,880 4,770 
			 303 Bexley 3,520 4,430 
			 304 Brent 4,470 5,730 
			 305 Bromley 3,520 4,500 
			 306 Croydon 3,820 5,000 
			 307 Haling 4,270 5,460 
			 308 Enfield 4,030 4,980 
			 309 Haringey 4,680 6,200 
			 310 Harrow 3,890 4,840 
			 311 Havering 3,480 4,480 
			 312 Hillingdon 3,770 4,700 
			 313 Hounslow 4,190 5,140 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 3,550 4,490 
			 315 Merton 3,890 4,910 
			 316 Newham 4,620 5,680 
			 317 Redbridge 3,750 4,580 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 3,530 4,550 
			 319 Sutton 3,620 4,510 
			 320 Waltham Forest 4,300 5,500 
			 
			  South East 3,440 4,340 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 3,410 4,490 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 3,620 4,570 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 3,430 4,310 
			 845 East Sussex 3,500 4,410 
			 850 Hampshire 3,300 4,150 
			 921 Isle of Wight 3,540 4,470 
			 886 Kent 3,470 4,400 
			 887 Medway 3,360 4,270 
			 826 Milton Keynes 3,570 4,490 
			 931 Oxfordshire 3,450 4,310 
			 851 Portsmouth 3,570 4,600 
			 870 Reading 3,760 4,960 
			 871 Slough 4,150 5,290 
			 852 Southampton 3,640 4,600 
			 936 Surrey 3,380 4,260 
			 869 West Berkshire 3,430 4,250 
			 938 West Sussex 3,360 4,190 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 3,470 4,400 
			 872 Wokingham 3,290 4,150 
			 
			  South West 3,290 4,120 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 3,160 3,960 
			 837 Bournemouth 3,230 4,070 
			 801 Bristol, City of 3,550 4,760 
			 908 Cornwall 3,390 4,120 
			 878 Devon 3,340 4,070 
			 835 Dorset 3,210 4,020 
			 916 Gloucestershire 3,230 4,040 
			 802 North Somerset 3,220 4,090 
			 879 Plymouth 3,310 4,190 
			 836 Poole 3,040 4,050 
			 933 Somerset 3,300 4,160 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 3,110 3,990 
			 866 Swindon 3,280 4,140 
			 880 Torbay 3,270 4,160 
			 865 Wiltshire 3,330 4,060

Homework

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidelines her Department has issued on homework in secondary schools for year (a) seven, (b) eight, (c) nine, (d) 10 and (e) 11.

Jacqui Smith: My Department issued the publication Homework: Guidelines for Primary and Secondary Schools" in November 1998. This includes a chapter providing specific guidance on homework for secondary school pupils. We do not provide specific guidance for particular year groups.

Individual Learning Accounts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will bring forward proposals to replace individual learning accounts in England; and if she will discuss such proposals with the administration in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales.

Phil Hope: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 17 March 2005, Official Report, column 450W, given by my hon. Friend and former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills and Vocational Education, (Mr. Ivan Lewis).

Key Stage 2

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the primary schools in England where 50 per cent. of pupils achieved Level 5 in reading at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2003–04.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	There were 4,417 maintained primary schools in England where 50 per cent. or more of pupils achieved Level 5 in reading in the 2003–04 Key Stage 2 national curriculum tests.
	The school level figures are labelled provisional because they were not checked by schools as part of the 2004 primary school achievement and attainment tables.

Leading Edge Schools Programme

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the future of the Leading Edge Schools programme.

Jacqui Smith: In the Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners, published in July last year, we set out our proposals for high performing specialist schools to be able to take on leading roles. Details about the future of the Leading Edge Partnership Programme in the context of this Five Year Strategy will be published in due course.

Looked-after Children

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many looked-after children there are, broken down by local authority; and how many and what proportion of looked-after children experienced three or more placement moves in each year for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is published by the Department in tables 1 and 11 of Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Year Ending 31 March 2004 Volume 2: Local Authority Tables". This is available on the internet at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/v000569/vweb01–2005_2.pdf

Popular Schools Expansion Programme

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which schools have applied for funding under the Popular Schools Expansion Programme, indicating in each case (a) whether this application has been successful, (b) the amount granted, (c) the number of additional places provided and (d) the cost of an additional place in each case.

Jacqui Smith: The following table shows, for each school which has applied for funding under the Successful and Popular Schools Programme, (a) whether the application has been successful, (b) the amount granted, and (c) the number of additional places provided. The cost of an additional place in each case is not held centrally, as funding is not analysed between the direct costs of an extra place and the costs of improving facilities used by the school as a whole.
	
		
			 School Application Amount granted £000(31) Number of additional places(32) 
		
		
			 Bury Church of England High School, Bury Successful 1,600 122 
			 Fairfield High School, Bristol City Successful 18,223 495 
			 Parrenthorn High School, Bury Successful 500 121 
			 Maiden Erlegh School, Wokingham Successful 2,000 35 
			 St. Mary's Catholic College, Wirral Successful 3,600 178 
			 Chingford Foundation School, Waltham Forest Successful Being finalised 201 
			 Bradon Forest School, Wiltshire In progress — — 
			 Old Swinford Hospital, Dudley In progress — — 
			 Wymondham College, Norfolk In progress — — 
			 Brownhills Community Technology College, Walsall In progress — — 
			 Highcliffe School, Dorset In progress — — 
			 Haydon School, Hillingdon In progress — — 
			 West Hatch High School, Essex Unsuccessful — — 
			 The Hayfield School, Doncaster Unsuccessful — — 
			 The King David Community School, Manchester Withdrawn — — 
			 Gordano Community School, North Somerset Unsuccessful — — 
			 St. John The Baptist School, Surrey Unsuccessful — — 
		
	
	(31)The total amount includes sums granted by the Department up to £500,000, and any further sum due from the local authority in respect of extra places. Further sums due from the local authority may also include major building work which is part of a wider project.
	(32)The number of additional places is calculated by subtracting numbers on roll from the proposed new capacity. The large increase for Fairfield High School includes additional pupils resulting from the reorganisation of several schools.

School Advisers

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has for link advisers to schools.

Jacqui Smith: Most local authorities that maintain schools engage education specialists to work with those schools. For the portion of these specialists' time when they are helping authorities hold schools to account, they are commonly termed 'link advisers'. The introduction of the School Improvement Partner function means that the accountability role will pass to School Improvement Partners. This means that a portion of the work of local authorities' current education specialists will no longer be needed.
	What it does not mean is that the individual education professionals will all have to cease employment on school improvement work. There will be opportunities for some of them to become School Improvement Partners for all kinds of school, but particularly for primary schools, where we envisage that the majority of School Improvement Partners will come from local authority backgrounds. And there is a range of school improvement work beyond the School Improvement Partner function, some that schools commission and some that local authorities commission to support weak, failing and underperforming schools. The arrival of the School Improvement Partner function does not alter the need for this other work.

School Closures

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will give (a) the name, (b) the reason for closure and (c) the local education authority for every school closed in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: Details of the 1,807 school closures since 1997, as notified to the Department, have been placed in the House Library. The Department does not record detailed information on the reasons for a school's closure except to record whether the closure is part of a local reorganisation or amalgamation of schools, is necessary for the establishment of a new school or is a straight school closure. 75 per cent. of the closures listed flow from an amalgamation of two schools, a local reorganisation or the establishment of other school(s).
	Since 1999 decisions on changes to school organisation have been taken locally by the School Organisation Committee (SOC), or the schools adjudicator if the SOC could not reach a unanimous decision. The Secretary of State has no role in the process.

School Closures

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school closures due to falling rolls there were in each of the last five years, broken down by education authority.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not record detailed information on the reasons for a school's closure and we therefore cannot provide information on the number of school closures due to falling rolls. The following table contains the numbers of school closures for each year including those flowing from local reorganisations of schools, amalgamations of two or more schools and school closures where no new school was established.
	
		
			  Primary Secondary Total 
		
		
			 2000 171 74 245 
			 2001 225 39 264 
			 2002 216 22 238 
			 2003 196 23 219 
			 2004 222 33 255 
			 2005(33) 17 0 17 
			 Total 1,047 191 1,238 
		
	
	(33)To date.
	Note:
	Middle Deemed Primary Schools are included in Primary column, Middle Deemed Secondary are included in the Secondary column.
	Since 1999 decisions on changes to school organisation have been taken locally by the School Organisation Committee (SOC), or the schools adjudicator if the SOC could not reach a unanimous decision. The Secretary of State has no role in the process.

School Funding

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many responses she has received to her consultation on new school funding arrangements from 2006–07; and if she will place a summary of the responses in the Library.

Jacqui Smith: My Department has received just over 770 detailed responses to the consultation on our proposals for new school funding arrangements to be introduced from April 2006, together with around 1,650 letters as part of a campaign initiated by the F40 group of local authorities.
	The consultation period ended on 13 May. A consultation report will be published when our analysis of all the responses is complete, and copies will be placed in the Library. We will consider all the views expressed very carefully as we consider the way forward on school funding in the light of the consultation, and expect to announce our final decisions on the new arrangements over the summer.

School Funding

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much central Government funding will be allocated to each local education authority in England per (a) primary pupil and (b) secondary pupil in 2005–06; and what the total allocation for England is in each case.

Jacqui Smith: Funding figures for 2005–06 are not available as not all grant figures for 2005–06 are yet to hand.

School Improvement Partners

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements she has made to fund School Improvement Partners.

Jacqui Smith: The role of School Improvement Partners is part of a ground-breaking new approach for supporting schools and holding them to account, called the New Relationship with Schools. Working from powerful new data analyses and from schools' own evaluations of themselves, the New Relationship will get deeper into each school's key issues than has been possible hitherto and will do so with less red tape. But the underlying purpose of holding each school to account is not new and the New Relationship does not change the formal accountability requirements.
	A school's Improvement Partner is a credible, experienced education practitioner charged with challenging and supporting the school. School Improvement Partners are accredited to a demanding national standard and work locally.
	Local authorities will be able to find part of the funding for the School Improvement Partner function by discontinuing some of their existing work—the series of meetings and reporting currently used for formal school accountability, including reviews of school targets. But for secondary schools, existing funding will not suffice. The Government are making a contribution that we expect will cover the majority of the costs, because the School Improvement Partner function requires more investment than the current function that local authorities will be able to discontinue. We are offering each local authority £2,000 a year for each of the secondary schools to which it appoints a School Improvement Partner, together with a one-off payment of £380 for each secondary school to support the establishment of the School Improvement Partner function. For School Improvement Partners for primary schools roll-out of the function begins a year later than for secondary schools, in September 2006. We are just beginning a trial of the School Improvement Partner function for special schools.

School Leavers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to reduce levels of unemployment among school leavers.

Maria Eagle: Reducing youth unemployment is a priority for this Government, which has a target to reduce the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) by 2 percentage points between 2004 and 2010. The recent 14 to 19 Education and Skills White Paper sets out how we will build a system to raise participation and achievement; ensuring young people are able to master the functional skills, attitudes and behaviours needed for their continued engagement in education and employment after age 16.
	School leavers in particular may seek information, advice and guidance on their post-16 options from their school, the Connexions Service, or the Connexions Direct helpline. The forthcoming Youth Green Paper will examine how all those involved in delivering information, advice and guidance can work together to ensure all young people receive the help and support they need.
	The Connexions Service, which works closely with Jobcentre Plus actively identifies school leavers who are unemployed, and seeks to find them appropriate work or learning opportunities. Those not yet ready may undertake Entry to Employment, a tailored programme of learning and support to enable them to progress to further learning opportunities or meaningful employment. The Government announced, in the recent Budget, plans to pilot Activity Agreements and an Activity Allowance to help re-engage 16 to 17-year-olds who have been out of education, employment or training for some time.
	The Education Maintenance Allowance gives young people from lower income households the financial support they need to remain in education. Young parents may also receive funding to cover the cost of child care through the Care to Learn initiative.

School Meals

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when (a) Lewisham local education authority and (b) schools in Lewisham are expected to receive extra funding to improve school meals.

Jacqui Smith: Over the three years 2005–07 to 2007–08, all maintained schools in England will receive a share of the £220 million set aside to help local education authorities and schools strengthen their support for healthy eating and to provide better quality food. Of this, £30 million each year will go to schools to help meet transitional costs involved in developing and improving their whole school" approach to food. £30/50/50 million will go to LEAs to enable them to support schools with this process, with an emphasis on schools in deprived areas and schools starting from a low base.
	The first instalment of this additional funding will be available to schools and LEAs this autumn. Further details about the distribution of both grants between individual local authorities and schools will be announced in due course.

School Meals

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much will be made available to schools in Leeds to improve school meals over the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Over the three years 2005–07 to 2007–08, all maintained schools in England will receive a share of the £220 million set aside to help local education authorities and schools strengthen their support for healthy eating and to provide better quality food. Of this, £30 million each year will go to schools to help meet transitional costs involved in developing and improving their whole school" approach to food. £30/50/50 million will go to LEAs to enable them to support schools with this process, with an emphasis on schools in deprived areas and schools starting from a low base.
	The first instalment of this additional funding will be available to schools and LEAs this autumn. Further details about the distribution of both grants between individual local authorities and schools will be announced in due course.

School Sport

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children received the Government's target of two hours' school sport each week in the last period for which figures are available; and how this figure is calculated;
	(2)  how much of the £750 million pledged to school sport has been (a) committed and (b) spent.

Jacqui Smith: The results from the first PE, School Sport and Club Links survey (published on 29 April 2004) showed that 62 per cent. of 5 to 16-year-olds are participating in at least two hours high quality PE and school sport each week. The survey covers information—taken independently—from over 6,500 schools that were in School Sport Partnerships at that time. We hope to publish the results of the second annual survey in September 2005.
	Over 3,000 schools in England are benefiting directly from £686 million investment to enhance school sport facilities from the Big Lottery Fund (previously the New Opportunities Fund). £750 million represents the total budget for the United Kingdom. To date, £622 million of the total £750 million budget has already been allocated to projects and is therefore in the process of being drawn down. £70.4 million has been spent. This reflects the fact that the programme was always intended to be a 5–6 year programme, with most projects starting on site during 2004–05.

Schools

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new secondary schools have opened in Hertfordshire in each year since 1997; and how many new secondary schools are scheduled to open in Hertfordshire in each year between 2005 and 2011.

Jacqui Smith: According to departmental records one secondary school opened in Hertfordshire LEA in September 2000, following a local re-organisation of schools. The Department has also been informed that proposals have been approved for a further secondary school to open in September 2006.
	We have not been informed of any other proposals for new schools.

Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many local education authorities have submitted schemes for removing surplus places in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each of the last six years; and if she will estimate the total consequent change in education spending in each year.

Jacqui Smith: Responsibility for ensuring that there are enough school places in an area rests with the local authority. Decisions about school organisation—including to remove surplus places—are taken locally by the School Organisation Committee or by the independent schools adjudicator where the SOC cannot agree unanimously. Local authorities do not submit schemes to this Department.
	There is no specific capital programme for the removal of surplus places. Much of our capital support is allocated to local authorities and schools by formulae, linked to locally agreed asset management plans. This enables decisions to be taken locally on how these resources should be invested. In addition, surplus place removal can be achieved through wider projects supported under Building Schools for the Future and the Targeted Capital Fund programmes.
	While we have no information available on savings achieved through surplus place removal, we support such action where it is economic to do so and where it makes sense in terms of local education provision.

Secondary School Expenditure

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the expenditure per secondary school pupil was in (a) each inner London local education authority and (b) Southampton local education authority in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is contained within the following table. There are two main reasons for the difference in spending: first, most inner London authorities have more pupils living in deprived circumstances than Southampton and receive extra funding to reflect that. Inner London authorities also receive extra funding to reflect the high costs of recruiting and retaining staff.
	
		Secondary school based expenditure per pupil since 1997 in Southampton LEA and each inner London LEA -- £
		
			  Secondary school based expenditure(34) per pupil(35) 
			 LEA name 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000(36)(37) 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03(36)(38) 2003–04(38) 
		
		
			 Southampton 2,420 2,540 2,730 2,840 3,190 3,360 3,760 
			 
			 Inner London(39)   
			 Camden 3,160 3,140 3,310 3,510 4,020 5,010 5,050 
			 Hackney 3,070 3,040 3,450 4,030 4,820 4,320 4,330 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,400 3,500 3,510 3,650 3,960 4,110 4,770 
			 Haringey 3,170 3,360 3,320 3,760 4,370 4,360 4,900 
			 Islington 3,170 3,120 3,320 3,970 4,750 4,800 5,060 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,410 3,400 3,700 4,140 4,280 4,680 5,140 
			 Lambeth 3,290 3,530 3,510 3,400 3,490 4,890 5,250 
			 Lewisham 3,050 3,090 3,280 3,760 4,250 4,330 4,690 
			 Newham 2,820 2,880 3,110 3,730 4,100 4,120 4,370 
			 Southwark 3,040 3,270 3,620 3,730 5,160 4,620 4,950 
			 Tower Hamlets 3,200 3,380 3,830 4,370 4,950 4,860 5,400 
			 Wandsworth 2,640 2,750 3,270 3,600 3,930 2,800 3,830 
			 Westminster 3,050 3,140 3,440 4,100 4,810 4,620 4,940 
		
	
	(34)School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure.
	(35)Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending LEA maintained secondary schools and are draw from the DES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(36)1999–2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the section 52 form from the DfES. 2002–03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources occurred between 1998–99 and 1999–2000, and 2001–02 and 2002–03.
	(37)The 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of grant maintained schools to local authority maintenance.
	(38)The 2002–03 and 2003–04 calculation is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001–02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while in 2002 -03 and 2003–04 only the schools element of these categories is included. In 2001–02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil of the England total, while the schools element of these categories accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the England total in 2002–03. Also, for some LEAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LEA part of the form in 2002–03 and 2003–04 and would therefore be excluded, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources.
	(39)Unit costs in Inner London LEAs are higher than in Outer London and other LEAs, because of higher expenditure on teachers' pay.
	Notes:
	1.Figures are reported in cash terms and rounded to the nearest £10 as reported by the LEA.
	2.City of London LEA has no LEA maintained secondary schools.

Sign Language Courses

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to increase theavailability of courses teaching people to use sign language.

Maria Eagle: Information provided by the Council for the Advancement of Communication for Deaf People shows that in 2003–04 over 20,000 people were learning British sign language (BSL)—approximately 18,500 at level one, 400 at level two, 400 at level three and 200 at level four (including those studying at higher education (HE) institutions).
	It is recognised that the demand for BSL courses is currently greater than the supply of provision. The main contributory factor is the recognised shortage of BSL tutors. That is why some of the £1.5 million made available by Government to support the recognition of BSL as a European language is being used to fund six initiatives, which will contribute to establishing a Great Britain wide framework to support the recruitment, training and deployment of BSL tutors. The aim is to enhance numbers, status and levels of qualification. The Learning and Skills Council is currently discussing with the DWP how it might work in partnership to assist in the development of the national framework.
	Funding is also being made available to support four initiatives which will promote access for BSL users through awareness-raising among employers, among service providers and in the wider community.
	HE institutions are autonomous and so free to plan and deliver programmes as they wish. If they choose to run sign language courses, they may use funding provided through the HE Funding Council for England for this purpose. However, records are not kept centrally of the number of HE courses involving the teaching of sign language.

Further Education (Isle of Wight)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she plans to take to reduce the funding differential between pupils on similar courses in Isle of Wight sixth forms and Isle of Wight colleges.

Bill Rammell: We have brought up funding levels for Further Education (FE) as we said we would, without penalising schools. The Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) funding rates per course in FE have been rising faster than school sixth forms and the gap has narrowed.
	Our policy is to raise the level of funding for colleges, as and when we are able to secure the resources to do so.

Student Finance

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to make student loans available to people aged over 54 years; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: From 2006, tuition fee loans will be available to all students irrespective of their age. We are also increasing the age at which maintenance loans are available to students from 54 to 60; and will keep this position under review.

Surplus School Places

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's policies are on surplus school places in (a) rural and (b) non-rural for (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools.

Jacqui Smith: The Government believes that planning the supply of school places is best done at a local level by the local authority. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient places and that high quality education is provided in a cost effective way. We expect local authorities to take parental preferences into account in the planning process.
	In managing surplus places in rural areas local authorities must take into account the presumption against the closure of rural schools which we introduced in February 1998.
	To help local authorities manage falling primary school rolls the Department and the Audit Commission have developed a web-based toolkit which offers a range of practical advice and guidance. The toolkit is available at www.teachernet.gov.uk/fallingrolls

Teacher Assaults

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers have been assaulted by (a) pupils and (b) parents in each year since 1990.

Jacqui Smith: The Health and Safety Executive has collected the following information relating to schools in England and Wales since April 2001. No relevant information is available for earlier years. They are unable to provide a reason for the variation in the number of total injuries over three years.
	
		
			 Occupation of injured person   Assailant Non-fatal major injuries  Over-3-day injuries  Total injuries 
		
		
			 2001/02 
			 Teacher Parent or other associate of pupil 6 32 38 
			  Pupil 11 39 50 
			  Other 3 10 13 
			 Total  20 81 101 
			  
			 2002/03 
			 Teacher Parent or other associate of pupil 3 35 38 
			  Pupil 15 82 97 
			  Other — 13 13 
			 Total  18 130 148 
			 2003/04 
			 Teacher Parent or other associate of pupil 1 5 6 
			  Pupil 14 37 51 
			  Other — 3 3 
			 Teacher total 15 45 60 
			 2003/04 total  15 45 60

Teacher Assaults

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers in secondary schools have been assaulted by students since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: Significant injuries to school staff resulting from acts of violence must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive. Since 2001 it has been possible to identify whether the assailant was a pupil. The figures for England and Wales are:
	
		Teachers injured through violence by pupils
		
			  Number of teachers 
		
		
			 2001/02 50 
			 2002/03 97 
			 2003/04 51

Teacher Assaults

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many prosecutions have been brought against parents for assaulting teachers in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected. School staff should be able to work in a safe place, free from assault by parents or others. The Department has produced guidance for schools setting out the legal basis on which they can bar or remove intrusive parents or other people from school premises.

EU Presidency

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what communication activities are planned in relation to the policy areas covered by her Department during the UK presidency of the EU; and what budget has been allocated for these activities.

Bill Rammell: External communications activity for the presidency is being co-ordinated centrally by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. During the UK Presidency of the Education and Youth Council, the external communications we are planning are; information on the DfES presidency internet site, letters and update notes to key stakeholders, information to the school work force about general teaching resources available via the web, and national, regional and specialist media activity. Communications activity has been provided for within existing budgets for the presidency programme.

University Departments

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many university departments have closed in each year since 1997, broken down by subject.

Bill Rammell: Information on the closure, merger or opening of particular university courses and departments is not collected by the Department. Higher education institutions are autonomous organisations responsible for their own academic direction and strategic use of funds, and any decisions on closures of departments are made by them, not by Government or the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Work Force Training (Coventry)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance the Department provides in Coventry to promote a well-trained and skilled work force.

Phil Hope: Central Government provide substantial financial investment in training and skills through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for Coventry and Warwickshire. The LSC works with a range of partners, learning providers and employers. They have conducted an in-depth analysis of sector skills priorities in order to develop appropriate learning provision. The recent White Paper Getting on in Business; Getting on at Work", announced a National Employer Training Programme which will tailor training solutions to meet the skills needs of employers and their employees. The LSC already works collaboratively with the Business Link in Coventry supporting employers to improve their businesses and they have recently developed Skillssolutions to enable employers to access a full range of information and advice to develop their businesses and staff.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Claims Handling

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to regulate the activities of claims handling businesses; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: We propose to bring forward legislation in the Compensation Bill to regulate claims handling businesses.

Clementi Review

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to take forward the recommendations of the Clementi Review; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: My Department has already made a statement on taking forward the recommendations of the Clementi Review and I refer my hon. Friend for Hendon to the earlier statement made by my predecessor, my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Lammy) on 22 March 2005, Official Report, column 49WS.
	The Government remains committed to consumer focused reform of legal services regulation and has broadly accepted the main recommendations of the Clementi Review. We will publish a White Paper in the autumn, followed by a draft Legal Services Bill which is included in the 2005–06 legislative programme.

Domestic Violence

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the provision of legal aid for domestic violence cases.

Bridget Prentice: Domestic violence proceedings are a priority area for legal aid funding. The Legal Services Commission's (LSC's) Funding Code Criteria for domestic violence cases are wider than for most other family and non-family areas; they are not limited to any specific definition of domestic violence or abuse. Legal aid solicitors have wide devolved powers to grant funding for victims of domestic violence who are in urgent need of the court's protection. Following the Department's consultation 'A New Focus on Civil Legal Aid', provision was made for the LSC to waive the upper monthly disposable income limit for legal representation in specified domestic violence proceedings.
	Legal aid advice is provided by solicitors and advice centres with a contract with the LSC. An LSC leaflet 'Domestic Violence, Abuse and Harassment' is available from solicitors, courts and advice and support agencies. The LSC funds community projects providing advice, legal and practical help on domestic violence.

EU Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what types of funding from EU institutions for public information on the EU Constitution will be permissible (a) before and (b) during the referendum on UK ratification.

Harriet Harman: Funding from the EU Institutions for public information on the EU Constitution before and during the referendum will be subject to the rules on donations contained in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
	It would not be permissible for a recipient to keep a donation of £200 or more by an EU institution where the recipient is:
	(1) a registered political party (other than a minor party), unless the payment is made by or on behalf of the European Parliament for the purpose of assisting MEPs to perform their functions as such members;
	(2) a permitted participant not falling within (1) if the payment is for the purpose of meeting referendum expenditure incurred by or on behalf of the permitted participant; or
	(3) a member of a registered political party, a member's association or the holder of a relevant elective office, such as an MEP, if the payment is for his use or benefit (in that capacity) in connection with his political activities, unless the payment consists of remuneration or allowances paid to the holder of a relevant elective office in his capacity as such.

EU Constitution

James Duddridge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether UK nationals living outside the United Kingdom but within the European Union will be eligible to vote in a referendum on a Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Harriet Harman: As the European Union Bill introduced on 24 May 2005 states, the franchise for the referendum is the same as for Westminster parliamentary elections, plus peers who are also members of the House of Lords, and the people of Gibraltar. This includes UK nationals living overseas registered as overseas electors. To register they must have lived in the UK in the last 15 years irrespective of whether they now live in the EU or not.

General Election

John Hemming: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many local authorities arranged during the general elections for their presiding officers to record details of those people who turned up to vote in person, but were turned away because they were registered as absent voters; and how many people were turned away in this manner in each local authority.

Harriet Harman: The Government do not collect this information.

General Election

John Hemming: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many postal votes were issued for the general elections of (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) 2005; and how many were counted.

Harriet Harman: In the 1997 General Election, 937,205 postal ballots were issued, of which 737,995 (78.7 per cent.) were returned and included in the count. These details are taken from the House of Commons Paper Election Expenses" (HC 260, session 1998–99).
	In the 2001 General Election 1,758, 055 postal votes were issued, of which 1,370,884 (78 per cent.) were returned and included in the count. These details are taken from the independent Electoral Commission's report Postal votes, proxy votes and spoilt ballot papers at the 2001 general election".
	Copies of these publications are in the Library of each House. Information about postal votes and turnout at the 2005 General Election will be included in the Electoral Commission's report on participation and turnout, to be published later in the summer.

General Election

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will review the penalties for election offences; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The Government have published a policy paper for discussion on electoral administration. This paper invites comments on existing and proposed new electoral offences and the appropriate penalties to be applied.

House of Lords Reform

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent representations she has received on reform of the House of Lords.

Harriet Harman: The Department regularly receives correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members and members of the public advocating a range of views on House of Lords reform.

House of Lords Reform

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's plans to reform the powers of the House of Lords.

Harriet Harman: The Government set out in its Manisfesto its proposal to ask Parliament to set up a Joint Committee to undertake a review to look at codifying the key conventions of the Lords and developing alternative forms of scrutiny that complement rather than replicate those of the Commons; the review should also explore how the upper chamber might offer a better route for public engagement in scrutiny and policy making. We also said we would legislate to place reasonable limits on the time bills spend in the second chamber—no longer than 60 sitting days for most bills.

Immigration Tribunal

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that the presentation of judgments in Immigration Appeals Tribunal cases is such that, when it determines that an application has no merit, the basis on which the Tribunal has considered the case as having no merit and the fact that the determination does not necessarily reflect the merits that the case may have but which fall outside the Tribunal's remit, are made clear; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) succeeded the Immigration Appellate Authority on 4 April 2005. The AIT procedure rules (SINo. 230 (L1.)) make provision that parties to an appeal hearing must be served with a written determination containing the appeal decision and the reasons for it. Similarly, where the AIT determines an application to reconsider the original Tribunal decision, the rules provide that the reasons for the decision, which may be in summary form, must be served in written form upon the parties to the appeal. Beyond these provisions, the approach as to form and content of determinations is a matter for the Tribunal judiciary.

Immigration Tribunal

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the current backlog of cases at the Immigration Tribunal is.

Bridget Prentice: The latest provisional information shows that at the end of March 2005 the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) had the following outstanding work: 25,304 Adjudicator appeals, 5,217 applications for permission to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal (IAT) and 4,783 substantive IAT appeal hearings. This covers all asylum and immigration work, including family visitor visas. There has been no backlog at the Adjudicator tier though there have been delays at the permission application and substantive appeal stages of the IAT. It is provisionally estimated that 2,000 IAT appeals were affected by these delays and could be classified as backlogged. On 4 April 2005 the commencement of section 26 of The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004" introduced a unified appeals system under the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT). All outstanding work from the IAA and the IAT has been transferred to an equivalent appeal stage within the AIT.

Judicial Appointments

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what appointment procedure will be used to appoint the next Lord Chief Justice.

Harriet Harman: There is currently no vacancy in the office of Lord Chief Justice. If in the future a vacancy does occur, the procedure will be that my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor will advise the Prime Minister who will make a recommendation to Her Majesty. Once the Queen has approved the appointment, this will be announced by No. 10 Downing street.

Legal Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many legal aid firms she has visited since her appointment;
	(2)  what plans she has to visit a law centre.

Bridget Prentice: I have not had the opportunity to visit a legal aid firm or a law centre, since my appointment on 9 May. I do however, intend to do so in the near future.

North East Regional Assembly Referendum

Ian Davidson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what reports the Department has received from the Electoral Commission on the conduct of the north east regional assembly referendum; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: There have been none as yet. However, under section 5 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 the Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to prepare and publish a report on the administration of the referendum. I understand that the Commission proposes to do so in the autumn of this year.

Postal Voting

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many (a) confirmed instances, (b) allegations and (c) estimates of (i) postal votes being delivered to the wrong address, (ii) postal votes being delivered that had not been applied for, (iii) postal votes not being delivered that had been applied for, (iv) postal votes not being delivered in time for them to be returned, (v) postal votes being delivered in the wrong envelopes, (vi) people receiving both postal votes and polling cards, (vii) people receiving more than one postal vote and (viii) applications for postal votes for people being made at an address where they do not live and that they do not use for correspondence have been reported to the Department for each parliamentary constituency in relation to the 2005 general election.

Harriet Harman: The Electoral Commission, under Section 5 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, has a statutory duty to report on the administration of all parliamentary general elections. Information about postal votes will be included in the Electoral Commission's report on participation and turnout at the 2005 general election, to be released later in the summer. The Government do not collect centrally the information requested.

Rape Trials

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether recorders may be ticketed to try rape.

Harriet Harman: Yes.

Voting System

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans the Government have to change the voting system.

Harriet Harman: The Government remain committed to their manifesto commitment to reviewing the experience of the new electoral systems—introduced in the devolved administrations, the European Parliament and the London Assembly. The Government have no plans to change the voting system.

Voting System

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will commission a review of the conduct of voting in the last general election.

Harriet Harman: The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to report on the administration of UK parliamentary elections. The Commission has already published its report 'Securing the vote' on 20 May 2005, including reporting on the administration of the general election 2005. Further reporting will follow in the coming months. In addition, The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, will also be publishing a report based upon the findings of their assessment team who were invited by the Government to observe the election. They indicated before the election that their report should be published between four to eight weeks after the election.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Academic Attainment

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken by his Department to close the gap between those achieving the highest and lowest levels of academic attainment in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Promoting improvement and reducing differentials in attainment are supported through a range of measures, including:
	the continued recognition of social deprivation and education underachievement in the formula used to determine schools' budgets. £48 million has been allocated to schools in 2005–06 under this element of the formula;
	the School Improvement Programme launched in 1998, which is focused on tackling under-achievement in education;
	the Education Action Zone initiative, which is aimed at schools in the most challenging circumstances through community capacity-building;
	the Key Stage 4 Flexibility Initiative, which allows schools to discontinue certain aspects of the statutory curriculum in favour of innovative work-related programmes;
	the implementation of the new post-primary arrangements which will provide all pupils with access to a much wider range of courses, including vocational courses, regardless of where they live or the school they attend.
	This was highlighted in the Chief Inspector's report published on 24 May and my Department will continue to give this important issue the attention it deserves. I would also expect schools and support agencies to consider appropriate actions and interventions on the ground.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations took place between his Department and the Equality Commission before the introduction of ASBOs in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: In January 2004 the Northern Ireland Office launched a public consultation, lasting 13 weeks, to establish measures that would best address the issue of antisocial behaviour in Northern Ireland. On 10 May 2004, a further public consultation lasting five weeks was launched on the draft Order in Council, proposing new legislation to introduce antisocial behaviour orders as a statutory measure. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland responded to both consultations.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent assessment by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission of the legality of the use of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBO) in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: On 9 May 2005 the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland issued the report of its investigation of a formal complaint made by the Children's Law Centre under paragraph 10 of Schedule 9 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Government is presently considering the Commission's findings and recommendations.

Asthma

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will explain what steps he will take to ensure that the Asthma Charter is put into practice so that the health and wellbeing of people with asthma in Northern Ireland is improved.

Shaun Woodward: The Asthma Charter, which has been produced by Asthma UK, outlines the standards of care that people with asthma should expect and aims to ensure that they get the right treatment and support to control their asthma. Asthma UK has subsequently produced an information pack, which aims to help professionals improve care for patients and helps patients monitor and control their condition. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has agreed to provide the funding to produce and distribute the information packs to all patients with asthma in Northern Ireland through their GP practice.

Children (Secure Accommodation)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many places in secure accommodation are available for children at risk in Northern Ireland; what estimate he has made of the requirement for such places; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: There are currently 15 secure accommodation places at the regional secure care facility at Lakewood centre in Bangor, an increase of seven beds since 2001. Work is currently under way on building a replacement facility which is due to open in 2006 increasing the number of regional places to 16. In addition, under the terms of the legislation governing the use of secure care Health and Social Services Trusts can secure children at other locations, including statutory children's homes. The potential total number of secure places is therefore not limited by the number of places available at the regional unit.
	The strategic aim of the Department is to provide a diverse range of provision suited to meet the needs of children in care. In addition to building a replacement regional secure unit, existing intensive support provision will be replaced and extended throughout Northern Ireland. This will provide 11 additional places and 55 replacement beds, alongside an additional eight beds in a regional Social, Emotional and Psychological unit. It is intended that these expanded services will divert children from secure accommodation into accommodation better suited to meet their needs.
	The number of places at this regional secure facility, as well as the planned expansion of intensive support and other specialist places is based on the level of need identified by the four Health and Social Services Boards to the Children Matter Task Force which is led by the Department. Under the auspices of the Task Force an additional 86 beds and 47 replacement beds have already been provided. At the end of Phase II, a further 43 additional and 159 replacement beds will have been provided.

Civil Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is the policy of the Northern Ireland Civil Service to ensure a neutral working environment.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Civil Service's Equal Opportunities Policy Statement asserts that
	Everyone has a right to equality of opportunity and to a good and harmonious working environment and atmosphere in which all workers are encouraged to apply their diverse talents and in which no worker feels under threat or intimidated."

Civil Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is the policy of the Northern Ireland Civil Service to promote equality of opportunity in the awarding of public contracts.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Public Procurement Policy, which was agreed by the Assembly in May 2002, requires all public sector organisations to include an Equality Clause in all contracts and a standard clause was agreed for inclusion in all public sector contract documentation from July 2004.
	In particular, the clause places a mandatory requirement on contractors in relation to fair employment and anti-discrimination legislation. The clause also requires the contractor to use his best endeavours to ensure that in his employment policies and practices and in the delivery of the contract there shall be no unjustifiable inequality of treatment of the categories listed in section 75.
	The inclusion of this clause is in fulfilment of the obligation on public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity in carrying out their functions.

Crime

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the clear-up rate was for (a) domestic burglaries, (b) vehicle crimes and (c) assaults in (i)North Belfast and (ii) Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		Clearance rates recorded by the police -- Percentage
		
			 Offence type 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Domestic burglary 9.7 9.7 11.1 13.4 
			 Vehicle crime 6.3 7.5 9.3 10.1 
			 Assault 44.6 49.0 55.8 50.8 
			  
			 North Belfast District Command Unit 
			 Domestic burglary 6.0 9.9 10.5 10.4 
			 Vehicle crime 4.2 5.9 5.0 6.2 
			 Assault 18.6 34.9 46.6 40.5

Diabetes

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the impact of the extension of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 introduced in October 2004 on addressing the needs of children with diabetes in Northern Ireland schools; and what guidance the Department of Education for Northern Ireland has issued to schools, teachers and parents regarding children with diabetes attending school trips.

Angela Smith: My Department issued comprehensive guidance to schools in 2002 on the health and safety of pupils on educational visits. The document contains detailed advice regarding pupils with medical needs, including children with diabetes.
	The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 does not apply to the provision of education in Northern Ireland. However, from 1 September 2005, the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 will be in operation in Northern Ireland. This law will prohibit discrimination on grounds of disability in education and will require schools and General Qualifications Bodies to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that children and young people with disabilities are not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to those without disabilities. These duties cover all aspects of school life, including school clubs and trips. Type 1 diabetes would be considered a disability under this legislation.
	The Departments have tasked the Equality Commission (Northern Ireland) with producing Codes of Practice and other guidance materials to support the disability discrimination aspects of the Order for schools and Further and Higher education institutions.

Diabetes

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Department of Education for Northern Ireland's plans to support children with type 1 diabetes in schools; and what resources have been allocated to meeting the needs of such children.

Angela Smith: Diabetes is a medical condition and as such teachers are dependent on medical professionals for identification, diagnosis and support.
	Once a school has been made aware of a pupil with this condition, the school's medical support team is contacted and medical staff give training for individual teachers, where it is deemed appropriate. Specific advice and guidance on the support required for pupils with type 1 diabetes in schools is dependent on medical advice from a Health and Social Services Trust's community paediatrician which enables provision of support and interventions, as appropriate.
	In addition the Education and Library Boards and Health and Social Services Trusts circulate advice and guidance to schools on the most common medical conditions e.g. diabetes, epilepsy, asthma.
	The Department of Education will, in the near future, be issuing guidance to schools on how to support pupils with medical needs.
	From 1 September 2005, the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 will be in operation in Northern Ireland. This law will prohibit discrimination on grounds of disability in education and will require schools and general qualifications bodies to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that children and young people with disabilities are not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to those without disabilities. Type 1 diabetes would be considered a disability under this legislation.

Diabetes

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on each Health and Social Services Board area's plans for a structural patient education programme for people with diabetes; and what funding has been allocated for each programme.

Shaun Woodward: Education for people with diabetes, to support them in managing their condition and help them to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle, was identified as a priority area for development by the CREST Taskforce. In 2004–05 the Department allocated an additional £l million for the development of services for people with diabetes and as a result a number of additional specialist staff have been appointed and these staff have an educational role as part of their overall professional responsibilities.
	There are a number of educational programme initiatives under way in Health and Social Services Board areas in hospitals and in the community. The Regional Diabetes Steering Group, set up to oversee theimplementation of the recommendations made by the taskforce, will be considering what further action needs to be taken to further develop structural education programmes for people with diabetes throughout Northern Ireland.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many families in Northern Ireland have benefited from the abolition of the means-testing of parents of disabled children as part of the disabled facilities grants process since the abolition took place.

David Hanson: The information requested is not currently available. However since the abolition of the means test came into effect on 16 February 2004 the Housing Executive has approved 61 applications for disabled facilities grant in respect of children. The Housing Executive will be undertaking research to determine how many of these would likely have benefited from the abolition.

Education Funding

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken by the Department to review funding levels in the education system.

Angela Smith: I met Education and Library Board chairs and chief executives on 26 May, and listened carefully to the concerns they expressed about the funding position. I have also visited a number of schools to see the position. I advised boards of the importance Iattach to sound financial management to ensure that the maximum possible resources are provided for front line services. In that context I stressed the need for further development of collaborative working and shared services across boards and have reiterated my predecessor's commitment to make available initial funding of £0.5 million per board in 2005–06 to facilitate this. I await proposals from boards.

Emergency Services (Attacks)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attacks there have been on the emergency services in Northern Ireland, broken down by service, in each of the past 12 months; and (a) how many people have been successfully prosecuted for carrying out these attacks and (b) how many prosecutions are ongoing.

Shaun Woodward: The number of attacks on fire services, as recorded by the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland, is set out in the following table.
	
		Fire
		
			  Attacks on fire fighters 
			  Damage to appliance Damage to appliance and injury to personnel Injury only Hostile crowd Total 
		
		
			 2004  
			 June 5 — 1 26 32 
			 July 12 — — 27 39 
			 August 7 2 — 22 31 
			 September 7 — — 23 30 
			 October 7 — — 30 37 
			 November 8 — 1 5 14 
			 December 3 — — 6 9 
			   
			 2005  
			 January 2 — — 6 8 
			 February 4 — — 12 16 
			 March 7 — 1 29 37 
			 April 7 1 — 15 23 
			 May 2 — 1 22 25 
			 Total 71 3 4 223 301 
		
	
	Of the total of 301 incidents recorded, 223 involved a hostile crowd but no injury or damage was sustained to personnel or equipment.
	The number of attacks on ambulance services, as recorded by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, is set out in the following table:
	
		Ambulance
		
			  Physical attacks Verbal attacks Vehicle equipment Total 
		
		
			 2004 
			 June 10 3 0 13 
			 July 2 2 1 5 
			 August 3 1 0 4 
			 September 5 1 0 6 
			 October 4 2 3 9 
			 November 9 1 3 13 
			 December 3 1 0 4 
			  
			 2005 
			 January 6 1 1 8 
			 February 5 3 3 11 
			 March 4 1 0 5 
			 April 0 3 0 3 
			 May 4 0 0 4 
			 Total 55 19 11 85 
		
	
	Statistics in relation to the specific offence of 'assault on police', for the last 12-month period for which they are available, are as follows:
	
		Police
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2004  
			 April 170 
			 May 177 
			 June 168 
			 July 219 
			 August 177 
			 September 161 
			 October 141 
			 November 161 
			 December 182 
			   
			 2005  
			 January 175 
			 February 168 
			 March 219 
			 Total 2,118 
		
	
	Some assaults on police, depending on their seriousness, may be recorded as other 'violence against the person' offences, for which a breakdown is not readily available.
	Convictions
	In 2003, the latest year for which statistics are available, there were 339 convictions (successful prosecutions) for the specific offence of 'assault on police'.
	Victim information in relation to court proceedings is not contained within the Northern Ireland Office court datasets, unless the victim is identified within the offence title. Thus, the number of successful proceedings against other emergency services is not available. Press reports indicate that one attacker has recently been convicted for an attack on a fire fighter.
	Details relating to prosecutions ongoing are held at Police District Command Unit level, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

English as an Additional Language

Mrs. Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training will be made available at the beginning of the autumn term for teachers who will be teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL) child for the first time; whether on-going training will be provided for (a) other teachers and (b) classroom assistants in schools with EAL pupils; and whether teacher-training colleges in Northern Ireland have included EAL in the curriculum.

Angela Smith: The Education and Library Boards' Curriculum Advisory Support Service (CASS) provides for the teaching of English as an Additional Language (EAL) either by means of peripatetic teachers teaching the pupils or by training the teachers in schools where there is a need. CASS respond to and prioritise requests for training according to the level of funding available and they are currently in the process of preparing their training programmes for the 2005/06 academic year.
	Stranmillis University College has for some years offered optional training to its BEd students in relation to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and an additional certificate is awarded to those who complete successfully the course. St. Mary's University College is currently planning for the integration of issues relating to EAL into the teacher education curriculum, offering all academic staff training in this area in the forthcoming year.
	Information for classroom assistants is not held centrally. I will write to the hon. Lady with this information, and on the outcome of the Boards training programmes, as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Flag Flying

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to ban the flying of (a) sectarian and (b) national flags from public property.

Angela Smith: There are no plans to introduce new or amending legislation to deal with the flying of sectarian flags or national flags from public property.

Glaucoma

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to raise awareness of glaucoma in Northern Ireland; and how many people in Northern Ireland have suffered blindness as a result of glaucoma in each of the past five years.

Shaun Woodward: Information on instances where glaucoma has led to blindness is not held centrally. No specific campaigns have been undertaken but information on glaucoma is available from a number of sources, including the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the International Glaucoma Association.

Health Care Trusts

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many procedures were cancelled in each health trust in the Province in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: This information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

High Hedges

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to consult on the introduction of legislation in Northern Ireland to deal with problems associated with high hedges.

Angela Smith: A consultation paper will be published in September 2005 to collect information about the scale of the nuisance high hedge problem in Northern Ireland. This will enable the Department to produce a regulatory impact assessment, and providing it supports a legislative solution, a policy consultation paper is expected to issue before Christmas seeking views on proposed legislation.

HIV/AIDS

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were diagnosed as being HIV positive (a) to date in 2005, (b) in 2000, (c) in 1995 and (d) in 1990.

Shaun Woodward: The number of people who had a diagnosis of HIV positive in Northern Ireland are as follows:
	(a) None to date in 2005,
	(b) 19 in 2000,
	(c) 12 in 1995 and
	(d) 12 in 1990.
	Please note that the figure for 2005 is provisional and is liable to change as further reports for this period are received.

Home Ownership

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the adult population in Northern Ireland own their own homes; and what the equivalent figures were for each of the last five years.

David Hanson: It is not possible to supply figures for the number of adults involved, but the following table shows the approximate percentage of households that are either 'owned outright' or 'owned with mortgage' between 1998–99 and 2003–04.
	
		Households in owner occupation
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1998–99 68 
			 1999–2000 67 
			 2000–01 69 
			 2001–02 72 
			 2002–03 72 
			 2003–04 73

Home Ownership

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent steps have been taken by his Department to help first-time home buyers in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Co-ownership scheme, which has been in operation in Northern Ireland since 1978, offers first time buyers on marginal incomes, who would not be eligible to obtain a full mortgage, the opportunity to become home owners on an equity sharing part mortgage/part rent basis.
	In recognition of the success of the scheme which has, since its inception in 1978 assisted almost 18,000 participants into home ownership, the Department has recently increased its funding level by £23 million over the next three years to provide almost £39 million over the period. This, together with funding of almost £60 million which will be provided by the Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association (NICHA), which operates the scheme on the Department's behalf, will help support around 2,400 applicants over the period. The eligibility rules have also recently been amended to make the scheme more reflective of house prices in the starter home end of the market.
	The social housing house sales scheme also makes an important contribution in providing an opportunity for those in the social rented sector to become home owners. The scheme has recently been extended to housing association tenants.

Hospital Consultants

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what incentives are being provided to attract hospital consultants in Great Britain to work in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: There are no incentives specifically offered to attract hospital consultants from Great Britain to take up appointment in the Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland. However, Health and Personal Social Services employers may offer assistance with reasonable" removal expenses to any hospital consultant relocating to Northern Ireland.

Hospital Consultants

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how he expects front line hospital services to be affected as a result of his Department's proposal to reduce overtime by hospital consultants in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: I do not expect frontline services to be affected by the reduction in additional activity being funded by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in 2005–06. The reduction equates to a 4.5 per cent. increase in consultant productivity which is not an unreasonable expectation given the high level of investment placed in the new consultant contract.

Hospital Consultants

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the British Medical Association and other interested parties in relation to his Department's proposal to cut overtime by hospital consultants in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: Both the BMA and the Department negotiated the terms of the new contract for consultants. It seeks to introduce more efficient use of consultants' time and, in particular, an increase in the time spent on direct clinical care. There have not been any discussions specifically relating to overtime.

Intensive Care Beds

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of hospital beds within each health trust in the Province are (a) intensive care and (b) high dependency unit beds.

Shaun Woodward: Intensive Care and High Dependency Unit Beds form part of the service supplied in the acute sector of care. The number of Intensive Care Beds (ICU) and High Dependency Unit Beds (HDU) in each Health Trust is shown in the following table, as a percentage of all acute beds in the Trust.
	
		
			 Health and Social Services (HSS) Trust Percentage ICU Beds Percentage HDU Beds 
		
		
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 0.9 0.7 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 0.0 1.0 
			 Mater Infirmorum HSS Trust 2.0 1.0 
			 The Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 3.2 1.1 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals HSS Trust 1.4 0.9 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 1.4 1.4 
			 United Hospitals HSS Trust 1.3 1.5 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust 1.5 0.5 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 0.0 2.6 
			 Altnagelvin Area Hospital HSS Trust 1.2 1.2 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 1.4 2.9 
			 Northern Ireland 1.5 1.1 
		
	
	Figures are representative of the position at 1 April 2005.
	In addition to those beds included in the table, there are a number of critical care beds held for a specific purpose.
	14 post-operative High Dependency unit beds are situated at Greenpark HSS Trust
	8 Intensive Care and 6 High Dependency unit beds are situated in the Royal Victoria Hospital in the Cardiac Surgery specialty

Local Community Fund

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were used when allocating the recently announced £3 million from the Government's local community fund to aid the regeneration of deprived areas in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The 48 areas to receive an allocation from the local community fund were initially announced in July 2003. The target areas were determined by applying the noble indices to identify the most deprived areas (worst 10 per cent. of wards and the worst 10 per cent. of enumeration districts not in the top 10 per cent. of wards) supplemented by the outcome of work carried out by Community Foundation for Northern Ireland to provide the focus on areas of weak community infrastructure.

Lough Neagh

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the ownership of Lough Neagh.

Angela Smith: The bed and soil of Lough Neagh, and fringing lands accreted as a result of the lowering of the water level in 1959, are owned by the Shaftesbury Estate of Lough Neagh Ltd.
	This ownership includes shooting rights, mineral rights to extract sand and gravel, and rights to charge for laying moorings and building jetties.
	The Estate does not claim to own navigation rights or to own the water itself.

MOT Tests

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to reduce the waiting time for MOT testing at driver and vehicle test centres in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency is working to restore normal services as soon as possible and is now carrying out more vehicle tests than applications received each week. The action being taken includes maximising available resources at test centres, use of overtime working, redeployment of staff and the recruitment of additional vehicle examiners. Certificates of temporary exemption, which allow vehicles to be taxed and driven legally until they can be tested, continue to be issued where appointments cannot be offered within 21 days.

MOT Tests

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the current average waiting time is for MOT inspections in each vehicle testing agency site in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The following table shows the average waiting times for vehicle tests, including MOT inspections, in each vehicle testing agency site in Northern Ireland for week ending 21 May 2005.
	
		
			 Test centre Average waiting time in weeks 
		
		
			 Armagh 6 
			 Ballymena 7 
			 Belfast 4 
			 Coleraine 9 
			 Cookstown 8 
			 Craigavon 6 
			 Downpatrick 5 
			 Enniskillen 10 
			 Larne 5 
			 Lisburn 7 
			 Mallusk 5 
			 Londonderry 10 
			 Newry 7 
			 Newtownards 4 
			 Omagh 13 
		
	
	The overall average waiting time for all vehicle test categories is seven weeks.

MRI Scans

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which hospital trusts have bought MRI services from other trusts in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The table lists those Health and Social Services Trusts, which bought MRI services from other trusts in the last five years, indicating the years in which they bought services and the trusts they bought from.
	
		
			  Health and Social Services trust Years in which the trust bought MRI services from another trust  Trust from which they bought MRI services 
		
		
			 Causeway 2004–05 Altnagelvin; Green Park Healthcare 
			 Down Lisburn 2000–01 to 2004–05 Royal Group of Hospitals 
			 Green Park Healthcare (40)2003–04 to 2004–05 Royal Group of Hospitals 
			 Mater 2000–01 to 2004–05 Royal Group of Hospitals (200–01 to 2004–05); Ulster Community and Hospitals (2004–05) 
			 Newry and Mourne 2000–01 to 2004–05 Royal Group of Hospitals 
		
	
	(40)Information prior to 2003–04 is not readily available.

National Stadium

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration has been given by his Department to the transport links required to serve the new National Stadium for Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: No final decision has been made on the proposed Multi-Sports Stadium for Northern Ireland. The position remains, as the Government announced in March, that work is continuing on the viability of the Stadium, particularly in relation to getting agreement on the way forward with the sporting bodies, and that Maze/Long Kesh is the only site being considered. Master planning work, which will include an assessment of public and private transport needs, is already under way for that site.

NHS Staff

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many days were lost through sickness of NHS staff in the Province in each of the last three years, broken down by profession.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			 Staff group Days lost 2002–03 Days lost 2003–04 Days lost 2004–05 
		
		
			 TC2 Administrative and Clerical 121,890 116,746.8 125,528.06 
			 TC3 Works and Maintenance 94,064 10,733.6 9,539.6 
			 TC4 Ancillary and General 140,080.3 142,630.5 146,064.2 
			 TC5 Nursing and Midwifery 270,001.8 264,628.4 274,197.3 
			 TC6 Social Work Staff 81,778.2 90,217.2 90,742.8 
			 TC7 Professional and Technical 53,320.5 53,808 55,283.1 
			 TC8 Medical and Dental 8,706.8 8915 9,079.3 
		
	
	The Eastern Health and Social Services Board and the Mater Hospital Health and Social Services Trust were unable to provide the information due to technical difficulties with their computer systems, and therefore have not been included in the above table.
	The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Services Trust were unable to furnish detailed breakdowns of the figures from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 and 1 April 2003 to 30 September 2003. This was due to the methodology of recording absences at the time. The information is available from October 2003, shown in the following table. In addition the term Others" include Administrative and Clerical staff (TC2), Ancillary and General (TC4) and Medical Staff (TC8).
	
		
			 Staff group Days lost 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2004 Days lost 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 
		
		
			 TC9 Emergency Personnel 5,355.12 7,583.9 
			 TC9 Non-Emergency Personnel 1,030.14 2,708.57 
			 TC9 Control 716.93 887 
			 TC2, 4 and 8 Others 1045.04 876.58

NHS Staff

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many doctors are employed in non-standard or trust grade posts in each NHS trust in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		Non-standard/trust grade posts by NHS trust
		
			  Headcount WTE 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin 5 5.0 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 0 0.0 
			 Belfast City Hospital 0 0.0 
			 Causeway 0 0.0 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 0 0.0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospitals 5 5.0 
			 Down Lisburn 5 5.0 
			 Foyle 0 0.0 
			 Green Park 0 0.0 
			 Homefirst 0 0.0 
			 Mater Hospital 3 3.0 
			 Newry and Mourne 1 1.0 
			 NI Ambulance Service 0 0.0 
			 North and West Belfast 0 0.0 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 0 0.0 
			 South and East Belfast 0 0.0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 2 2.0 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals 5 5.0 
			 United Hospitals 10 10.0 
			 Total 36 36.0

Northern Ireland Police Fund

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been warned about their security as a result of the ongoing investigation into alleged criminal and terrorist activities by two members of staff at the Northern Ireland Police Fund.

Shaun Woodward: I have been informed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland that no persons have been warned about their personal security as a result of the now completed investigation into this matter.

Northern Ireland Police Fund

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the investigation into alleged criminal and terrorist activities by two members of staff at the Northern Ireland police fund; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: I have been informed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) that following a PSNI investigation the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed that two individuals should be prosecuted for a number of dishonesty offences. The DPP subsequently withdrew the charges.
	No terrorist offences were uncovered as a result of the PSNI investigation.

Paramilitary Violence

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many paramilitary-style attacks were carried out in each month of 2005; how many of these can be attributable to (a) Loyalist and (b) Republican paramilitaries; and how many people have been prosecuted as a result.

Shaun Woodward: The following table shows the type and number of paramilitary-style attacks for the period January to April 2005.
	
		Paramilitary attacks and assaults January to April 2005
		
			  Casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults Casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings 
			 2005 By Loyalists By Republicans Total By Loyalists By Republicans Total 
		
		
			 January 5 4 9 4 4 8 
			 February 5 6 11 7 1 8 
			 March 5 5 10 4 — 4 
			 April 3 3 6 5 2 7 
			 Total 18 18 36 20 7 27 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.PSNI does not hold statistics relating to prosecutions in these matters as they are not in themselves specific criminal offences, more a description of attacks. The specific offences for which a person may be charged are many and varied.
	2.Attribution is as perceived by the PSNI based on the information available and does not necessarily indicate the involvement of a paramilitary organisation.
	3.April 2005 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment. No statistics are available yet for May.

Prostate Cancer

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent steps he has taken to raise awareness of prostate cancer among men in Northern Ireland; and how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in each of the past three years.

Shaun Woodward: Through the Northern Ireland Cancer Forum the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has been working with cancer charities such as Action Cancer and Men Against Cancer to raise awareness of prostate cancer. In addition the 2003 Report of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) contained a section on prostate cancer, including particular information about the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. A copy of the 2003 Report was issued on a given day last year with every copy of each of the three major Northern Ireland newspapers. The CMO's 2004 Report also carried similar information on these matters and added a website address where further details could be obtained.
	The number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in each of the last three years for which figures are available are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000 569 
			 2001 531 
			 2002(41) 631 
		
	
	(41)There is a period of 18 months approximately before incidence figures are published for any given year. The official figure for 2003 will be available at the end of June 2005.

Race Hate Crimes

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to tackle race hate crime in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Government along with the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland abhors hate crime in all its manifestations and is taking positive and practical steps to tackle this. In particular the Government are currently considering its response to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee's report entitled the Challenge of Diversity—Hate Crime in Northern Ireland".
	The Government have already introduced the Criminal Justice (No.2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 which directs the courts to take account during sentencing of any offence where there is evidence of hostility based on religion, race disability or sexual orientation. In addition the legislation increases the maximum sentences available for certain specified, mainly violent offences including where racial, religious or sexual aggravation is proven.
	Work is concluding on the development of the Racial Equality strategy, which will provide a framework for practical and protective measures to tackle hate crime and the causes of hate crime. This will be a joined-up strategy involving every part of Government working together to address this most serious issue. One of the practical outcomes of this will be the provision of additional support for the victims of this type of crime and taking forward work to have better information about hate crime incidents so that resources can be targeted to address them.
	Finally, the police are investing considerable time and effort in addressing race crime. Recent initiatives include the introduction of an on-line reporting system on the PSNI website as part of the Hate Crime is Wrong campaign". The Police Service is determined to fully investigate all hate related incidents and where possible to secure sufficient evidence to prosecute offenders.

Renewable Energy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent consultations have been carried out by his Department in relation to the development of renewable energy sources, particularly (a) wind, (b) water and (c) nuclear energy, in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment issued a general consultation paper on all renewable energy sources entitled Realising the Potential", in October 2001. This was followed up, during 2004, with a series of two consultations relating to the introduction of the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation which is aimed at incentivisng the overall development of renewables in NI.
	There has been no consultation on nuclear energy in Northern Ireland.

Security Guards (Crown Insignia)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the composition by community background of security guards whose uniforms bear Crown insignia was on the latest date for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The composition of permanent NICS and NIO staff employed in support grades, classified as security guards, by community background as at 1 January 2005 is as follows:
	
		
			 Community background Number of staff 
		
		
			 Protestant 92 
			 Catholic 12 
			 Not determined 14 
			 Total 118 
		
	
	A further 46 staff provide security guard services as a part function of their job. 67 staff in total wear uniforms bearing Crown insignia. A separate breakdown for these staff is not available.

Security Guards (Crown Insignia)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for whom security guards on the Stormont estate with Crown insignia on their uniforms work.

Angela Smith: Security Guards with Crown insignia on their uniforms within the Stormont Estate, work for the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel and the Northern Ireland Office.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attendance Allowance

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action is being taken to ensure that those who may qualify for attendance allowance are aware of the availability of the benefit.

Anne McGuire: The Department goes to considerable lengths to publicise all benefits including attendance allowance. Information is available from all the Department's offices, from Citizen Advice Bureaux and other advice agencies and leaflets are available in Post Offices, and doctors' surgeries. In addition information and advice about attendance allowance is provided by the Benefit Enquiry Line. For people with internet access information about all benefits and how they may be claimed is on the DWP website (www.dwp.gov.uk).
	The Department also undertakes a considerable amount of local outreach work and is increasingly working with partners such as Local Authority Social Services and Welfare Rights organisations who are well placed to identify people who may be entitled to attendance allowance in a targeted and personal way.
	403,000 claims for attendance allowance were received in the year ending November 2004 and the number of people receiving attendance allowance has increased from 1.25 million in November 1999 to 1.4 million in November 2004, a rise of almost 13 per cent. Over this period expenditure has increased from £2.7 billion in 1998–99 to an anticipated £3.6 billion in 2004–05.

Autism

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will seek to introduce amending legislation which will ensure that children who suffer from autism are entitled to the high rate of care and mobility components of disability living allowance from the date of diagnosis.

Anne McGuire: Children with autism spectrum disorders are entitled to disability living allowance on the same basis as anyone else with a severe disability. They will qualify if they meet the entitlement conditions for the benefit, which depend on the effects that severe physical or mental disability have on a person's need for personal care and/or their ability to walk and not on particular disabilities or diagnoses. There are no plans to amend the legislation.
	The numbers of children receiving disability living allowance as a result of the effects of autism spectrum disorders are not recorded separately, but are included in the more general category of those with 'learning difficulties'. As at 30 November 2004, over 71,000 children whose main disabling condition is recorded as learning difficulties were receiving the benefit. Of these over 30,000 were in receipt of either the highest rate care component or the higher rate mobility component, or both.

Benefit Claims

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals claim both council tax benefit and disability benefit in England.

James Plaskitt: The most recently available information is in the table.
	
		Council tax benefit (CTB) recipients in England also in receipt of attendance allowance (AA), disability living allowance (DLA) or a disability premium: May 2003
		
			  Households 
		
		
			 CTB with AA/DLA 1,124,000 
			 CTB with a disability premium 1,145,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	2.Council tax benefit data excludes any second adult rebate cases.
	3.Disability premiums included are disability premium, severe disability premium and enhanced disability premium.
	4.Many households receive both AA/DLA and a disability premium, so there will be some overlap between the figures.
	Source:
	Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2003.

Carers Benefit

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the amount of unclaimed carers' benefit in a year; and what plans he has to improve the uptake of that benefit.

Anne McGuire: Entitlement to carer's allowance depends on whether the qualifying conditions are satisfied and this can be reliably established only after a claim has been made. There are no data available which would provide an estimate of the number of carers who would meet those conditions if they claimed.
	Information and advice about entitlement to carer's allowance are available from a range of outlets including social security offices, Jobcentre Plus offices, DWP and other helplines, DWP and other internet sites, local authorities, Citizens Advice and welfare benefit offices, public libraries, health clinics, doctors' surgeries and health visitors. Officials from the Department's disability and carers service also discuss carer's allowance at outreach events up and down the country.
	In addition, the extensive pension credit take-up campaign, recently mounted by the Pension Service, has helped many older carers to benefit from the Government's abolition of the upper age limit on claims to carer's allowance.
	The carer's allowance claim pack is kept under review and improvements are introduced on an ongoing basis. Claims can be made in writing, by phone and on-line, and can be accepted by organisations such as Age Concern and Citizens Advice as well as DWP offices.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's latest spending plans are for each year from 2005–06 to 2008–09; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Departmental Report for 2004 (Cm 6221), which is available in the Library, contains the latest available information on spending plans for 2005–06. The Departmental Report for 2005 to be published in June 2005 will contain details of the spending plans for the years 2005–06 to 2007–08. The plans for 2008–09 will be published following the conclusion of the 2006 Spending Review.

Disability Living Allowance (Blind Claimants)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many blind people are claiming the lower rate mobility component of the disability living allowance.

Anne McGuire: As at 30 November 2004, some 52,800 people whose main disabling condition is recorded as blindness were receiving the lower rate mobility component of disability living allowance.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples

Early Retirement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the proportion of the working age population that has taken early retirement in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: In 2004 there were an estimated 581,000 people, on average, aged below the State Pension Age who were out of work and described themselves as currently retired. This represented 1.6 per cent. of the population aged 16 to State Pension Age.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, 2004 Spring to Winter quarters average, for Great Britain.

Financial Assistance Scheme

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what payments (a) have been made and (b) are proposed to be made out of the Financial Assistance Scheme for members of the FII Group pension fund.

Stephen Timms: No payments have yet been made. We set up the body to administer the Financial Assistance Scheme in April and having completed the formal consultation on the draft regulations we will lay these before Parliament within the next few months. Payments will start to be made as soon as practicable thereafter, once the regulations are in place.
	Estimates cannot be made on the proposed payment levels for members of individual schemes until we have received more detailed information, including information on what the scheme pension age is for individual members, their distance from scheme pension age as at 14 May 2004, and their individual losses in the schemes.

Financial Assistance Scheme

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress his Department has made in attracting contributions to the Financial Assistance Scheme from external sources.

Stephen Timms: We have made clear to the pensions industry that we are keen for them to support the Financial Assistance Scheme either by voluntary financial contributions or assistance in kind.
	We are grateful for the assistance in kind offered by the industry to date, and hope that it will further support the Government's leadership in assisting those facing the most serious losses. We believe that it has a strong interest in doing so. No direct financial contributions have yet been volunteered.

Incapacity Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the medical reasons were for claims for incapacity benefit in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefit and severe disability allowance claimants by diagnosis group at the date as shown
		
			  29 February 2004 31 May 2004 31 August 2004 30 November 2004 
		
		
			 Claimants without any diagnosis code on the system 4,000 4,700 4,600 4,800 
			 Certain infectious and parasitic diseases 20,500 20,100 20,200 20,000 
			 Neoplasms 37,900 37,700 37,500 37,300 
			 Diseases of the blood and blood forming organs and certain diseases involving the immune mechanism 4,400 4,300 4,200 4,300 
			 Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 38,500 38,300 38,500 38,300 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders 1,020,000 1,028,300 1,035,000 1,038,700 
			 Diseases of the nervous system 164,800 165,500 165,500 164,900 
			 Diseases of the eye and adnexa 19,700 19,500 19,300 19,400 
			 Diseases of the ear and mastoid process 12,300 12,400 12,100 12,300 
			 Diseases of the circulatory system 174,200 171,100 168,300 164,900 
			 Diseases of the respiratory system 68,400 67,400 66,400 65,500 
			 Diseases of the digestive system 41,600 41,600 41,800 41,000 
			 Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous system 16,000 15,800 15,500 15,600 
			 Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 529,500 523,200 517,800 513,500 
			 Diseases of the genitourinary system 18,400 18,300 18,600 18,500 
			 Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 4,100 4,200 4,500 4,300 
			 Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period — — — — 
			 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 24,900 24,900 24,800 24,900 
			 Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified 326,100 323,600 322,800 322,900 
			 Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes 153,200 152,600 151,800 150,500 
			 Factors influencing Health status and contact with health services 35,000 35,200 35,000 34,800 
			 All 2,713,600 2,708,700 2,704,200 2,696,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2.Figures include all incapacity benefit (IB), severe disability allowance and IB Contributions-only cases
	3.—" denotes nil or negligible
	Source:
	Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample.

Jobcentre Plus

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Jobcentres has been converted to the Jobcentre Plus format in each year since the inception of the programme.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 6 June 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning what proportion of Jobcentres has been converted to the Jobcentre Plus format in each year since the inception of the programme. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Following the introduction of the Jobcentre Plus in April 2002, the Agency has been introducing the new integrated service and modernising the estate it inherited from the former Benefits Agency and Employment Service.
	The number of offices launched each year to support delivery of the new service is as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 2001–02 (42)56 representing 7 per cent. of completed network 
			 2002–03 157 representing 19 per cent. of completed network 
			 2003–04 223 representing 27 per cent. of completed network 
			 2004–05 115 representing 14 per cent. of completed network 
		
	
	(42)Pathfinder offices
	The rollout programme continues and will be substantially complete by Summer 2006.
	I hope this is helpful.

Local Housing Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what evidence his Department has collated of housing benefit recipients moving to different accommodation within the local housing allowance pilot areas.

James Plaskitt: The pathfinders are subject to a comprehensive, independent evaluation. Tenants' responses to the local housing allowance are one of the main streams of the evaluation.
	The final evaluation report is due to be published by the end of 2006 and a series of interim evaluation reports and summaries are being published before then. The first publication that relates to the tenants' experience Claiming Housing Benefit in the Private Rented Sector: the baseline experience of claimants in the nine Local Housing Allowance Pathfinder areas" was published in September 2004. A copy is available in the Library. The result of the next phase of the claimant stream is expected to be published in July 2005.

New Deal (FE Colleges)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on New Deal contracts in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) the UK with local further education colleges.

Margaret Hodge: There are currently 483 New Deal contracts with further education colleges in the UK, including four in Gloucestershire.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to (a) bring forward legislation to enable and (b) introduce a new long-term pensions system by the end of this Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: We will formulate our plans in the light of consultation and consensus building with a wide range of interested parties.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the planned Pensions Commission Experts Conference on 21 June.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, and I look forward to the opportunity this event presents to hear what the experts in the field have to say. It will provide valuable input to the Government's wider consensus-building programme.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had since 5 May with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future pensions policy; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has regular discussions with my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer across the range of pension policy issues. The reforms we have introduced since 1997 have significantly improved retirement incomes for today's pensioners. However, changes in society mean that we cannot necessarily rely on the existing structures to provide the same outcomes as we move further into the 21st century.
	The bedrock must be long-term security and stability. That is why it is important to build consensus among stakeholders, including the industry, trade unions and business. The work of the Pensions Commission, and the principles set out in our publication Principles for reform: The national pensions debate", are crucial parts of the framework for building that consensus.

Public Service Agreements

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the current Public Service Agreement targets relating to housing benefit are.

James Plaskitt: Our current PSA targets were published in the Department for Work and Pensions Departmental Report 2004", which is available in the Library.

Social Fund Community Care Grants

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average Social Fund Community Care Grant award was in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1997–98.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the tables.
	
		Social Fund Community Care Grants in England
		
			  Average award (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 335 
			 1998–99 351 
			 1999–2000 353 
			 2000–01 350 
			 2001–02 350 
			 2002–03 352 
			 2003–04 373 
			 2004–05 397 
		
	
	
		Social Fund Community Care Grants by Region 2004–05
		
			 Government office region Average award (£) 
		
		
			 East of England 388 
			 East Midlands 387 
			 London 481 
			 North East 374 
			 North West 370 
			 Scotland 375 
			 South East 401 
			 South West 361 
			 Wales 344 
			 West Midlands 383 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 387 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Average award sizes are based on initial expenditure and the number of initial awards.
	2.Data by Government Office Region (GOR) is not available for 2002–03 or 2003–04. Prior to 2002–03 a different district structure was in use.
	3.In 2004–05, a small area of the East Midlands GOR was administered for social fund purposes from a district within the North West GOR. Regional data is built up from District data. Therefore the data above for these two GORs may be slightly inaccurate.
	Source:
	Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

African Union

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial and logistical support has been provided to the African Union in support of its plans to increase the monitoring force in Darfur to 7000.

Ian Pearson: At a donors' conference in Addis Ababa for the African Union's (AU) monitoring mission in Darfur on 26 May, the UK announced that it was pledging a further £6.6 million worth of support to the mission. This is in addition to the £14 million of support made available to date, which has been used to purchase the majority of the AU's vehicles.
	We are working with other donors and the AU to ensure that co-ordinated assistance is provided to the AU in support of its planned expansion and according to its needs. This is likely to include further vehicles, airlift and technical expertise.

China

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the level of textile imports from China since January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alan Johnson) on the question of textiles imports from China. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Trade and Industry officials are in close contact on this issue and, as the joint FCO/DTI Minister, I am closely following developments.
	The European Commission is working hard to address concerns caused by the rapid increase in Chinese textile imports into the EU, to the satisfaction of all parties. The UK is in close contact with the Commission and supporting its efforts to find a solution.

Entry Clearance

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that interviews at British high commissions and embassies with applicants for entry clearance to the UK are tape recorded.

Kim Howells: There are no plans to record interviews. Interviews at British high commissions and embassies with applicants for entry clearance to the UK are not recorded. Entry Clearance Officers write a full contemporaneous record of every interview.
	If the applicant, sponsor or sponsor's MP requests a copy of the relevant interview notes, they are provided free of charge. Where an application has been refused a family visit entry clearance, the applicant will automatically receive a copy of the interview notes.
	The interview notes are also made available to the immigration judge, if the applicant appeals against a refusal of entry clearance.

Eritrea

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Eritrea about the freedom of Christians to practise their faith.

Ian Pearson: We monitor closely action taken by the authorities against minority religious groups in Eritrea and raise the issue of religious freedom with the Eritrean Government regularly. We also work closely with our European partners to make our concerns clear. The EU Troika, including our Ambassador in Asmara, raised religious freedom with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 12 May.

European Union

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the objectives of theGovernment's policy towards the European Union are.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 26 May 2005
	The United Kingdom is a firmly committed and engaged member of the EU. We are proud of the strong position Britain has achieved within Europe. British membership of the EU brings jobs, trade and prosperity, boosts environmental standards and social protection and brings greater international clout. We will take on the presidency of the EU on 1 July. Like any EU presidency, we will take forward the EU's agenda from those who preceded us. We will give particular attention to Africa and climate change and work to ensure that Europe adapts to the new global economic challenge, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out in his written statement to this House on 26 May.

Madagascar

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the arrangements are for UK diplomatic representation in Madagascar; and what plans he has to change these arrangements.

Ian Pearson: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced on 15 December 2004, Official Report, columns 137–40WS, we will shortly be closing the British embassy in Antananarivo, Madagascar. After the British embassy closes, relations with Madagascar will be covered from our high commission in Port Louis, Mauritius supported by an honorary consul in Antananarivo.

Military Equipment Trafficking

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what mechanisms the new powers to control trafficking and brokering in military equipment by UK citizens will be enforced.

Dawn Primarolo: I am replying as Minister for HM Revenue and Customs who are responsible for enforcing the controls on trafficking and brokering in military equipment. Enforcement in this area is, in the main, intelligence led. HMRC will assess any information that suggests a trafficking and brokering offence has been committed in the United Kingdom, or has been committed overseas by UK citizens. Depending on their assessment, Customs will either visit the trader using their regulatory powers to inspect records and to require information or will conduct a full investigation using their powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
	Where it is necessary to gather evidence overseas, Customs will do so using applicable mutual assistance arrangements where they are in place. Where there is sufficient evidence that a UK national has committed an offence overseas, Customs could put out a warrant for his arrest on return to the UK or consider extradition.
	Customs will normally seek prosecution in all cases where there has been a deliberate breach of the controls. They will review the evidence with the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office who will advise whether there is sufficient evidence and whether prosecution is in the public interest.

Russia

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage the Russian Government to promote and protect human rights; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We are actively engaged in a bilateral human rights dialogue with the Russian Government. The latest round of talks was held in Moscow on 23 May 2005 and included discussion of the situation in Chechnya, media freedoms, prison conditions and progress on the judicial reform agenda in Russia. We also discussed opportunities for building on current co-operation through on-going project work, notably in the area of penal reform.
	We are also engaged, with our European partners, in the biannual EU-Russia human rights consultations. The first session of consultations took place in Luxembourg on 1 March 2005. The next round of consultations is scheduled to take place under the UK Presidency of the EU on 8 September 2005.
	In addition to this, staff at our Embassy in Moscow continue to raise our concerns with their interlocutors in the Russian government, including with official institutions in Russia that exist to protect and promote human rights.

Russia

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the Government have made to the Russian Government in relation to (a) Russian involvement in the Iranian atomic energy programme, (b) freedom of the media, (c) the move to a wholly party-list system for state duma elections and (d) ending election of regional governors; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We have an intensive dialogue with the Russians at all levels on the Iranian nuclear programme. This nuclear programme is of concern to the UK and to Russia, who fully support the E3 negotiating process and have made clear their strong opposition to Iran seeking to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.
	Most recently we raised our concerns about freedom of the media during the latest round of our bilateral human rights dialogue, held in Moscow on 23 May 2005. We also voiced concerns about the freedom of the media in Russia, in unison with our European Partners, during the biannual EU-Russia human rights consultations in March this year. We plan to do so again at the next round of EU-Russia human rights consultations which are scheduled to take place on 8 September 2005 under the UK's Presidency of the EU. In addition to this, staff at our Embassy in Moscow continue to raise concerns with Russian authorities.
	We are taking a close interest in intended changes to the electoral system and the impact on the democratic process in Russia. We discuss these issues regularly with the Russian authorities.
	We understand President Putin's concern to ensure effective regional administration and note his recent suggestion that the winners of elections to local assemblies may in the future nominate governors to the President. Our Embassy has discussed these plans on a number of occasions with Russian authorities. We hope that all proposed changes will be implemented in accordance with President Putin's stated intention to strengthen democratic institutions in Russia.

Russia

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures have been taken since the EU-Russian Summit on 10 May to agree road maps to advance collaboration on the four agreed common spaces; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We have already held bilateral discussions on the implementation of the four common spaces with the Russians as part of the preparations for our EU presidency. Russian officials are planning to visit Brussels before the summer to continue these discussions with the EU institutions.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Government of Sudan and (b) the UN concerning arrests and mistreatment of internally displaced persons in Kalma Camp, Nyala.

Ian Pearson: On 20 May, violent clashes broke out between the police and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kalma IDP camp. The African Union were able quickly to restore order, but a number of IDPs were injured and at least one policeman was killed.
	On 22 May, during a visit to Kalma IDP camp, our ambassador in Khartoum raised the recent incident with UN agencies, Non Governmental Organisations and the Government of Sudan. He urged the Government of Sudan to work with the AU to restore confidence between the IDPs and police to prevent a recurrence of this incident in the future.
	We regularly press the Government of Sudan on the need for it to respect the human rights of IDPs and to protect its citizens. We will continue to do so.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Sudan on the incident at Kasab Camp, north of Kutum town, north Darfur, when internally displaced persons women were fired on by Janjaweed militia.

Ian Pearson: On 11 May, Arab militias attacked a group of women from the Kasab camp North Darfur who had left the camp to collect firewood. Several women were raped, one woman was killed and two were seriously injured.
	Such attacks are abhorrent and totally unacceptable. We have made, and continue to make clear to the Government of Sudan that they hold the responsibility for the security of their people, that they must rein in the militia, and that the perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice.
	The African Union (AU) mission is increasingly co-ordinating its patrols to provide protection to women when they leave populated areas in search of food or firewood. Where this is happening we understand the number of reported attacks has decreased significantly and we are encouraging the AU to promote this practice.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Sudanese authorities concerning the encirclement by Sudanese security forces of the town of Soba Aradi and the arrest of people there.

Ian Pearson: Following the deaths of three civilians and 14 police officers in the Soba Aradi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Khartoum, on 18 May, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) issued a statement calling on all sides to prevent any further loss of life, and urging the Government of Sudan to respect the human rights of IDPs, protect its citizens and bring those responsible to justice. A copy of the statement is available at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/pressreleases/bennsoba-sudan.asp
	Following this incident, tensions in the camp remain high. Through our embassy in Khartoum we have been in regular contact with the Government of Sudan and have pressed them to investigate the incident, in consultation with the Joint (Government of Sudan—Sudan People's Liberation Movement) National Transition Team, and to take the necessary steps to prevent a recurrence in the future. We will continue to do so.
	We have repeatedly made clear to the Government of Sudan that all returns and relocations must be entirely voluntary and take place in full and prior consultation with the established international monitoring mechanisms.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Eastern Sudan; and what role the UK Government are playing in reducing tensions in that region.

Ian Pearson: Tensions in the East remain high. The main eastern opposition groups, the Beja Congress and the Free Lions, have united to form the Eastern Front. We have made clear that there can be no military solution to the problems in the East. We are pressing the Eastern Front and the Government of Sudan to show restraint and to negotiate a political settlement, aimed at bringing the East into the wider political process in Sudan, within the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. To this end we are looking to fund informal consultations between the two parties.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress on implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

Ian Pearson: The parties expect to complete work on the Interim National Constitution in time for the formation of the Government of National Unity on 9 July. Ahead of this the parties have formed the Joint National Transition Team to drive forward implementation of the wealth and power sharing protocols. The Abyei Boundaries Commission will present its report to the parties by the end of June and the Ceasefire Joint Military Commission met for the first time on 8 May to discuss security arrangements. We are pressing the parties to ensure a fully inclusive political process. To this end they have held a series of talks with both the northern and southern opposition groups.
	Due to the challenging nature of implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and the limited capacity of the parties, some areas of implementation are behind schedule. We will continue to press the parties to implement the agreement and will work to support them in achieving this. To this end we have committed $546 million over the next three years to Sudan and have provided technical expertise to a number of Commissions under the CPA, including the crucial National Constitutional Review Commission. We are also working to support the Joint National Transition Team in forming the remaining Commissions established by the CPA.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with his counterparts within the EU regarding support for the African Union mission in Darfur;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the NATO Secretary-General regarding support for the African Union mission in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: We are in close touch with international partners in both the EU and NATO regarding support to the African Union (AU) mission in Darfur. We played a leading role in discussions on Sudan at the EU's General Affairs External Relations Council on 23 May, which reiterated the EU's support for the AU mission, and agreed to provide a substantial offer of support to the AU. At an AU hosted conference on the situation in Darfur in Addis Ababa on 26 May, both the EU and NATO offered their assistance. Approximately $200 million was pledged at this conference. Further offers of support are still being finalised. The UK announced a further £6.6 million in new funding at the conference, taking our total contribution towards the AU's operation in Darfur to more than £20 million. We will continue to work closely with both the EU and NATO to ensure that support to the AU is closely co-ordinated and complementary in responding to the needs of the AU.

Sudan

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent meeting in Addis Ababa hosted by the United Nations Secretary General to discuss Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The African Union (AU) held a high-level conference on the situation in Darfur in Addis Ababa on 26 May, co-chaired by AU Chairperson, President Konare, and UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. Approximately $200 million of support to the AU mission was pledged at this conference and further offers of support are still being finalised. The UK announced a further £6.6 million in new funding at the conference, taking our total contribution to the AU's operations in Darfur to more than £20 million. We are working closely with our international partners to ensure that the AU's needs are met, and that international support is provided in a co-ordinated and efficient manner.
	The AU Chairperson announced at the conference that the peace talks between the Government of Sudan and the rebels will reconvene in Abuja on 10 June, and that the former Organisation of African Unity Secretary General Salim Salim had been appointed as the chief mediator. A UK representative will attend the talks and offer support to the African Union mediators.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on reports that refugees from Darfur have been killed, attacked and subject to other violence in countries to which they have fled, with particular reference to those who fled to Iraq.

Ian Pearson: We understand that reprisal attacks were instigated by Sudanese refugees in several Chadian camps and towns during the week of 9–16 May. Chadian authorities and national police had arrested refugee leaders refusing to co-operate with a UN-led registration exercise to verify refugee numbers and thereby reduce excess food distributions. Refugees retaliated by clashing with Chadian security forces; several refugees were injured though no mortalities were reported. UN officials and Chadian authorities share the view that the events were triggered by a small group of individuals eager to retain private and illegitimate benefits they enjoy through inflated numbers of beneficiaries.
	We have received no reports of particular targeting of refugees from Darfur in other third countries. Sudanese migrants have long resided in Iraq and in other Gulf states. Sudanese nationals in Iraq are facing the same challenges and insecurity in Iraq as other nationalities. We understand that a section of the Sudanese nationals living in Iraq have decided to move to other countries due to fears for their security.

Turkey

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the Government, as holders of the EU's presidency, plans to make to mark the beginning of negotiations on Turkey's accession to the EU.

Douglas Alexander: In line with the 2004 December European Council Conclusions, EU Foreign Ministers are scheduled to open Turkey's accession negotiations at an inter-governmental conference in Luxembourg on 3 October.

Vietnam

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Vietnam about the (a) trials of (i) Reverend Quang and (ii) Mr Thach and (b) the imprisonment of Ms Le Thi Hony; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We and our EU partners regularly discuss human rights issues with the Vietnamese Government. We participate in a regular EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, which is attended by our Ambassador in Hanoi. The EU raised the detention and treatment of prisoners among our issues of concern at the most recent Dialogue meeting on 17 December, and will raise the issue again at the next meeting on 7 June. We also raise freedom of religion, restrictions on religious organisations, the situation of protestant groups and fair trial procedures. We have urged Vietnam to guarantee in practice the right of all religious groups to practice their faith freely in community.
	The EU has raised the case of Reverend Nguyen Hong Quang and his followers, including Mr. Thach, with the Vietnamese authorities and we sought permission to attend his appeal hearing on 12 April (which was denied). We were disappointed that their sentences were upheld at this appeal hearing. We and our EU partners continue to follow developments in these cases with close interest.
	The EU has also raised the case of Ms Le Thi Hong Lien, who I believe the hon. Member is referring to, with the Vietnamese authorities. We welcomed the Vietnamese Government's decision to release Ms Le Thi Hong Lien and five other prisoners of concern during the Victory Day amnesty on 30 April.

Zimbabwe

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the imprisonment of the former Member of Parliament in Zimbabwe, Mr. Roy Bennett;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the conditions in which the former Member of Parliament in Zimbabwe, Mr. Roy Bennett;
	(3)  what representations the UK Government have made to (a) the Zimbabwean Government, (b) the African Commission on Human and People's Rights and (c) the international community concerning the imprisonment of the former Member of Parliament in Zimbabwe, Mr. Roy Bennett.

Ian Pearson: Our embassy in Harare are in contact with Roy Bennett's family and lawyers.
	The recent report of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights provides graphic testimony about his detention conditions. While we do not condone the actions for which Roy Bennett was charged, we believe that the sentence he received was wholly disproportionate to his offence. The Zimbabwean Attorney-General admitted this in two concessions submitted in court last week. He added that Parliament was not properly constituted as a court of law when it heard Roy Bennett's case. We condemn the fact that the Government's Chief Legal Officer withdrew the two concessions as a result of political pressure.
	The case of Roy Bennett is only part of a broader pattern of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, and the growing abuse of the legal system. We will continue to work for the restoration of human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe and to discuss our concerns with African and other international partners.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what information he has received on the level of political intimidation employed by Zanu PF during the March parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the freedom and fairness of the March parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 5 April on the elections in Zimbabwe, Official Report, columns 1260–66. There was strong evidence that the official published results did not reflect the free democratic will of the Zimbabwean people. That remains our assessment. Reports by objective observers indicate that ZANU(PF) and the regime security forces employed intimidation, in addition to other malpractice, to manipulate these elections.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospect of achieving sustainable progress towards democracy in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the Statement my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 5 April 2005, Official Report, columns 1260–66, that the March parliamentary elections did not reflect the free democratic will of the Zimbabwean people. The European Union and others have echoed this. We judge that no significant progress has been made towards the restoration of democracy. Mugabe has demonstrated time and again his contempt for the democratic rights of Zimbabweans. We will maintain firm international pressure until the situation there improves.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received advocating re-engagement with the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: We retain diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe, and through our Embassy in Harare and occasional visits by officials, continue to urge the Government of Zimbabwe to make the reforms necessary to restore normality to Zimbabwe. We are also heavily involved in the humanitarian effort to feed the people of Zimbabwe and tackle HIV. But we have received no indications that Mugabe wishes to address the underlying causes of the crisis in Zimbabwe—bad governance and bad policies—and until and unless we do, we see little point in enhanced international engagement with his regime.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the maintenance and expansion of sanctions against the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: This Government believes that the European Union's current policy towards Zimbabwe, including sanctions against the Mugabe regime, is justified by that regime's failure to address EU concerns, including the abuse of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We are currently working with our Partners to update the travel ban and assets freeze list to reflect recent changes in the government and ruling party in Harare.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Affordable Housing

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the maximum price is that the Government deem to be affordable for an affordable home for sale for each of the Government office regions; and what income would be needed to purchase a property at that price without external assistance.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Sustainable Communities Plan launched in February 2003 began to address the problems of affordability by identifying the potential for 200,000 additional homes in London and the south east growth areas above the levels currently planned in regional planning guidance. Kate Barker's Review of housing supply reinforces the case for a step change in housing supply to improve affordability. We will respond to the recommendations in the Barker Review by the end of the year.

Affordable Housing

Anthony Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many affordable homes have been (a) started and (b) completed in each of the last three years in the (i)Plymouth unitary authority area, (ii) Torbay unitary authority area and (iii) Devon county council area; and how much public funding has been made available to each authority for affordable housing projects in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many affordable homes have been (a) started and (b) completed in each of the last three years in (i)the Plymouth unitary authority area, (ii) the Torbay unitary authority area and (ii) the Devon county council area; and how much public funding has been made available to each for affordable housing projects in each of the last three years.

Yvette Cooper: The following table shows figures for Plymouth, Torbay and Devon county council on (a) affordable homes provided, (b) affordable homes started and (c) how much public funding has been made available to each of the above public authorities for affordable housing projects. Figures are provided for the last three years except for starts on site which are only available for 2004–05.
	
		
			  Plymouth Torbay Devon CC(43) 
		
		
			 2002–03
			 Total funding (£ million) 4.654 2.136 17.928 
			 Affordable homes provided (units) 281 39 830 
			 
			 2003–04
			 Total funding (£ million) 8.807 3.950 23.574 
			 Affordable homes provided (units) 79 87 279 
			 
			 2004–05
			 Total funding (£ million) 6.203 1.730 12.473 
			 Affordable homes provided (units) 138 50 450 
			 Starts-on-site (units) 141 80 377 
		
	
	(43)Devon county council excludes Plymouth and Torbay unitary authorities.
	Source:
	Housing Corporation (figures are based on sponsoring local authorities)
	The table includes new build dwellings, acquisitions and refurbishments for both rent and low cost home ownership schemes through both the Approved Development Programme and Transitional Local Authority Social Housing Grant (TLASHG). The completion figures include units completed under TLASHG by with debt authorities, however spend on these schemes are not included in the funding figures.
	Funding and completions are not directly comparable, as funding will relate to projects running, not necessarily units completed, in any one year.

Business Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much revenue has been raised in business rates in England in each year since 1997; and what the estimated receipts are for 2005–06.

Phil Woolas: The combined total yield from local, central and crown lists is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 12,806 
			 1998–99 12,896 
			 1999–2000 13,320 
			 2000–01 13,754 
			 2001–02 15,312 
			 2002–03 15,537 
			 2003–04 15,323 
			 2004–05 16,214 
			 2005–06 17,000 
		
	
	The figures for 2004–05 are provisional and the figures for 2005–06 are based on rounded initial estimates from billing authorities.

Cabinet Committees

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what Cabinet (a) sub-committees, (b) committees and (c) working groups he sits on.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement on Cabinet Committees made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 24 May 2005, Official Report, column 12WS.

Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act

Nick Hurd: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards the implementation of the provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002; and on what date he expects the regulations to come into force.

Yvette Cooper: The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 received Royal Assent in May 2002. Most of the provisions have now been introduced through a series of commencement orders.
	The first phase of leasehold reforms came into effect on 26 July 2002, with the second phase coming into effect in two parts on 30 September and 31 October 2003. These measures included: a relaxation of the qualifying rules to make it easier to buy the freehold or a new lease; a new no fault 'Right to Manage' provisions for leaseholders of flats to take over management of their block where they do not wish to or cannot afford to buy the freehold; and new procedures for consultation on service charges.
	A further commencement order brought into effect the provisions in Part 1 of the Act relating to Commonhold, on 27 September 2004. Commonhold is a new form of tenure for blocks of flats and other multi-unit properties, under which occupiers would own their units outright, and through a commonhold association own and mange the common parts collectively.
	Finally, another phase of the leasehold reforms was brought into effect on 28 February 2005. This provides leaseholders with better protection against forfeiture, and requires landlords to send a written demand for ground rent before it become payable. Leaseholders of houses can also now choose their own buildings insurance.
	The remaining provisions and Regulations of the Act, once enabled, would require collective enfranchisement to be exercised through an RTE company; require landlords to keep service charge monies for each group of service charge payers in separate (designated) accounts; require landlords to provide a regular (yearly) statement of account together with other relevant information; and require notices sent by landlords to tenants for administration charges to include content prescribed by Regulations. No timetable has yet been set to bring these provisions and Regulations into force.
	The Welsh Assembly has devolved responsibility for secondary legislation in respect of leasehold provisions in Wales. The hon. Member may wish to write to that office in respect of the commencement orders for Wales.

Council Tax

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to reduce the levels of council tax in Hertfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: It is local authorities which set their council tax although, as we said in our manifesto, we will not hesitate to use our capping powers to protect council taxpayers from excessive increases in council tax.
	The Government announced their 2005–06 capping principles to the House on 23 March. These were that authorities' 2005–06 budget requirements are excessive if they show
	an increase in budget requirement of more than 6 per cent. between 2004–05 and 2005–06; and
	an increase in Band D council tax of more than 5½ per cent. in the same period.
	No authorities in Hertfordshire have breached these principles.

Council Tax

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether one-off funding for local authorities to reduce council tax requirements will be continued in financial year 2006–07; and what assessment he has made of the effect on council tax requirements of not continuing this funding;
	(2)  what his current estimate is of average changes in council tax for the financial year 2006–07.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to supporting local authorities in delivering improvements in key public services without unacceptable council tax rises. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister worked closely with local government during the last spending review to identify pressures and burdens as well as the scope for efficiency savings, and the totals for 2006–07 and 2007–08 reflect the outcome of that work. It is imperative that councils focus on how the money available to local government is spent and improve productivity. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister believes that local authorities have demonstrated that they will make their full contribution to the local government efficiency target of £6.45 billion by 2007–08, which will provide further investment to front line service. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will continue to work closely with local government to ensure that levels of central grant are based on a realistic assessment of service commitments pressures faced by local government. Such assessment underpinned the decisions taken in Spending Review 2004 and spending plans for 2007–08 remain as set out in the Review.
	The level of the council tax increase in the coming financial years will depend on local authorities' spending decisions. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will work to ensure that improved local services are deliverable within the spending plans for local government. The Government will not hesitate to use their capping powers to deal with excessive increases.

East of England Regional Assembly

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will hold a referendum on the future of the east of England regional assembly; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The east of England regional assembly is a voluntary body of the region. Government have no powers to dissolve it or to require a referendum to be held on its future.

E-government

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the progress of local government in England in implementing e-government.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Local e-Government Programme does not complete until the end of March 2006. The main target date for the e-enablement of local authority services and delivery of e-government priority outcomes is set at 31 December 2005.
	On 3 February 2005, we announced the results from the 4th round of Implementing Electronic Government (IEG4) returns. These showed that councils were set to meet the 2005 target for 100 per cent. e-enablement of services.
	Local authorities will be asked to complete a mid year IEG statement with a submission deadline of 18 July 2005. After 2005–06, Local e-government will be mainstreamed within the CPA assessment framework.

Fire Service

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the timetable for the establishment of regional fire control rooms is.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We consulted stakeholders through the Practitioners Forum, and the Chairs of all English Fire and Rescue Authorities, on the accommodation criteria in December 2003, before formally beginning the procurement process with an official notice in the Journal of the European Union in April 2004, and have involved key stakeholders at every stage, including the final moderation meetings held in February and March 2005. We expect to make an announcement soon.

Fire Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many lift rescues were carried out by the Fire Service in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of lift release incidents attended by the Fire and Rescue Service in England is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incidents 
		
		
			 1994–95 23,005 
			 1995–96 24,446 
			 1996–97 23,070 
			 1997–98 24,013 
			 1998–99 23,689 
			 1999–2000 24,122 
			 2000–01 24,477 
			 2001–02 25,709 
			 2002–03 25,326 
			 2003–04 26,001 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM annual returns

Firelink Procurement Competition

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what consultation has been undertaken with (a) individual fire and rescue authorities, (b) fire brigades and (c) the Fire Brigades Union to ascertain their preferred solution to the Firelink procurement competition.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The specification for suppliers to compete for the Firelink contract was developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders including Fire and Rescue Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales represented on the Firelink Principal Users Group and Technical Users Group. It is these representative groups that have been involved in the bid evaluation process. The Firelink Project Board, whose membership includes Fire and Rescue Authorities and the FBU, has overseen the Firelink project and will be consulted before any recommendation is made.

Firelink Procurement Competition

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what evaluation has been carried out of the number of additional masts that would be required by the two bids for the Firelink procurement competition; and whether this will be taken into account in determining the outcome of the competition.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The evaluation process leading to the selection of a successful bidder for the Firelink contract will take into account any need for additional masts. Due to the ongoing nature of the competition; it is not possible to provide details of any such evaluation.

Government Offices for the Regions

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the estimated (a) total expenditure and (b) administrative costs of each Government office for the region in England in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 2005–06.

Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows.
	(a) Programme budgets administered by the Government offices (GO) are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the relevant sponsor Departments. Prior to the formation of the Regional Co-ordination Unit (RCU) in 2000, details of Government office programme expenditure were not collated on a consistent basis. The RCU now compiles overall figures based on information produced for GO annual reports after the financial year has ended. The latest figures available are for 2003–04.
	
		Programme spend managed or influenced by Government offices
		
			 2003–04 £ billion 
		
		
			 North East 0.760 
			 North West 1.541 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 0.868 
			 West Midlands 1.185 
			 East Midlands 0.552 
			 East 0.834 
			 South East 0.742 
			 South West 0.472 
			 London 2.724 
			 Totals 9.678 
		
	
	(b) The administrative costs of each government office for the two years in question are as follows:
	
		£000
		
			 Government office 1996–97 2005–06 
		
		
			 North East 8,687.15 12,250.32 
			 North West(44) 14,189.04 17,381.83 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 8,765.04 12,924.53 
			 West Midlands 10,040.37 13,641.12 
			 East Midlands 6,616.67 11,844.17 
			 East 6,168.97 12,708.11 
			 South East 8,406.18 14,398.28 
			 South West 7,140.74 14,239.00 
			 London (includes RCU admin. costs) 15,802.81 21,574.00 
			 Total 85,816.97 130,961.36 
		
	
	(44)North West and Merseyside were separate regions until 1998—though the combined figures are shown under North West for 1996–97

Government Offices for the Regions

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to facilitate the production of (a) regional health strategies, (b) regional social strategies and (c) regional environmental strategies in each Government Office Region.

Yvette Cooper: The Government are committed to the regional tier where it adds value to the social, environmental and economic well being of their areas. There are already a number of regional strategies which, taken together, impact positively on regional health, social and environmental issues. In our manifesto we committed to
	devolve further responsibility to existing regional bodies in relation to planning, housing, economic development and transport"
	and we shall bring forward plans to deliver this commitment.

Green Belt

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much of Hertfordshire's green belt has been released for development in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 25 May 2005
	The following table sets out the amount of development that took place in the Green Belt in Hertfordshire for each year from 1997 to 2003, a total of 312 Hectares as compared to 81 Hectares for the period 1990 to 1996. 2003 is the latest date for which figures are available. Over half of this development occurred on previously developed land, while the majority of development between 1990 and 1997 took place on previously developed land.
	
		Change of use of green belt land to developed from 1997 to 2003 in Hertfordshire
		
			  Hectares (figures rounded) 
		
		
			 1997 66 
			 1998 99 
			 1999 35 
			 2000 25 
			 2001 32 
			 2002 40 
			 2003 15 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM LUCS database
	Over the same period there was a net change of 50hectares of land removed from the Green Belt in Hertfordshire, leaving a total of 83,610 hectares of Green Belt in the county as a whole. 19,300 hectares of land were added to the Green Belt in England as a whole over the same period.

Green Belt

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what Green Belt designations the Government Offices of the Regions have consented to be (a) reduced and (b) deleted, since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: On 16 September 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) published a Statistical Release entitled, Local Planning Authority Green Belt Statistics, England 2003", which presents figures on thearea of designated Green Belt in 2003. Table 2 of Annex 1 to the Release shows the recorded changes in area, including reductions, between 1997 and 2003, for regionally-listed, individual local planning authorities. No designated Green Belts were deleted during this period.
	The changes to designated Green Belt boundaries have been recorded only for authorities that have adopted new development plans since 1997. The statistics do not, therefore, include changes which may have been proposed to the extent of Green Belt in provisional, draft deposit plans, and which are still going through their statutory approval process.
	A copy of the Statistical Release is available in the Library of the House. It also appears on the ODPM website at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_planning/documents/page/odpm_plan_031125.hcsp
	The Government expect to publish updated figures on the extent of, and changes to, the Green Belt in the autumn.

High Hedges

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what he expects will be the maximum fees chargeable by local councils to handle complaints under the high hedges provisions of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The high hedges provisions of the 2003 Act came into effect in England on 1 June 2005. The Act allows local councils to charge a fee for determining a complaint. The Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans, at present, to use his powers to prescribe a maximum fee. Each council will be free, therefore, to charge for this service as it thinks fit.

Home Ownership

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people (a) owned their property outright and (b) were owner-occupiers with a mortgage in (i) England and (ii) the UK in each year since 1979.

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of owner-occupiers who (a) owned their homes outright or (b) were paying off a mortgage are shown in the following table for both England and the UK. Annual figures are shown from 1991 to 2004 and for selected years prior to 1991.
	
		Thousands of households
		
			  England United Kingdom 
			  Owned outright Buying with a mortgage Owned outright Buying with a mortgage 
		
		
			 1981 4,313 5,546 n/a n/a 
			 1984 4,536 6,461 5,437 7,248 
			 1988 4,733 7,480 5,574 8,570 
			 1991 4,779 8,331 5,662 9,673 
			 1992 4,815 8,255 5,701 9,622 
			 1993 4,898 8,382 5,786 9,793 
			 1994 5,008 8,421 5,936 9,895 
			 1995 4,998 8,468 5,927 10,002 
			 1996 5,291 8,507 6,255 10,085 
			 1997 5,236 8,351 6,206 9,907 
			 1998 5,384 8,398 6,415 9,941 
			 1999 5,563 8,458 6,618 9,998 
			 2000 5,740 8,527 6,793 10,113 
			 2001 5,840 8,444 6,980 10,028 
			 2002 5,988 8,466 7,129 10,111 
			 2003 6,133 8,441 7,312 10,104 
			 2004 6,239 8,337 7,438 10,017 
		
	
	Sources:
	1981: DOE Labour Force Survey Housing Trailer
	1984, 1988 and 1991 to 2004: ONS Labour Force Survey

Homebuy Schemes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households he expects will participate each year in (a) Social Homebuy, (b) New Build Homebuy and (c) Open Market Homebuy.

Yvette Cooper: As announced in Homes for All (in January 2005) by 2010 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's new Homebuy proposals will help over 80,000 key workers, social tenants and other priority first time buyers to buy a share of a home on the open market or one newly built with public subsidy.
	As confirmed by my right hon. Friend's the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 25 May 2005, we now propose to go even further. Following negotiations with the Council of Mortgage Lenders on the introduction of private finance to fund loan assistance, we hope to extend assistance through the first joint equity products from April 2006 to 20,000 additional households, with perhaps as many as 30,000 households, if we can extend our approach to the New Build Homebuy option also. This would enable us to assist up to 110,000 households into home ownership over the next five years.
	We are currently consulting on the Social Homebuy proposal, which has not yet been introduced. Take up will depend on the details of the scheme.

Homebuy Schemes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to prevent speculative buyers from taking advantage of the Social Homebuy scheme;
	(2)  what assessment the Government have made of the amount of housing available for first time buyers wishing to participate in the Social Homebuy scheme.

Yvette Cooper: Social Homebuy is a new option to enable tenants of housing associations and local authorities to buy a share in their rented home. Full details of the scheme are set out in our consultation document Homebuy—expanding the opportunity to own" which was published on 1 April.
	We are aware of the possible potential for exploitation and abuse. We will take this into account in finalising the details. The scheme will only be available to existing social tenants and we propose that tenants who sell within five years should repay the discount and that social landlords should have a right to buy back the property when the Social Homebuy purchaser wishes to move on.
	We are currently consulting on the social Homebuy proposal, which has not yet been introduced. Take up will depend upon the details of the scheme.
	The consultation period closes on 24 June and our aim is to have the scheme running by April 2006.

Homelessness

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what level of priority homelessness has had in each Government office region in England in each year since 1993.

Yvette Cooper: The number of households accepted by local authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need under homelessness legislation in each Government office region during each year since 1993 is contained in the following table.
	After being accepted as owed a main homelessness duty, a household will be placed in some form of accommodation. They may be placed in temporary accommodation, until a settled solution becomes available, or they may be given a settled solution straight away depending on the accommodation available to the local authority. Alternatively, if possible, the household may remain in their current accommodation. In addition to estimates of statutory homeless households, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister publishes annual estimates of the number of people sleeping rough.
	
		Homeless households in priority need accepted(45) by local authorities, by Government office region
		
			  England North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands 
		
		
			 1993 127,630 6,800 18,380 13,320 10,120 
			 1994 118,490 6,060 17,350 11,060 8,890 
			 1995 117,490 6,050 16,080 9,930 8,970 
			 1996 113,590 5,780 15,500 9,240 8,900 
			 1997 102,000 4,420 12,800 8,940 8,070 
			 1998 104,630 4,370 13,330 8,440 7,570 
			 1999 105,370 4,830 12,770 8,220 7,190 
			 2000 111,340 5,060 12,940 9,140 7,350 
			 2001 117,830 5,490 13,440 10,330 7,240 
			 2002 123,840 6,460 14,260 14,160 8,040 
			 2003 135,590 8,020 17,660 16,260 9,140 
			 2004 127,760 8,510 17,720 14,590 9,570 
		
	
	
		
			  West Midlands East of England London South East South West 
		
		
			 1993 16,440 9,000 31,570 12,630 9,370 
			 1994 15,890 8,490 28,690 12,850 9,210 
			 1995 17,510 8,730 26,690 13,570 9,960 
			 1996 16,240 8,670 25,730 13,700 9,830 
			 1997 14,500 8,020 24,370 12,080 8,780 
			 1998 14,210 8,660 26,310 12,840 8,910 
			 1999 13,340 8,570 28,380 12,620 9,480 
			 2000 13,660 9,420 28,230 14,420 11,170 
			 2001 14,320 10,310 30,590 14,760 11,380 
			 2002 14,780 10,830 28,830 14,220 12,280 
			 2003 15,690 11,290 30,510 15,240 11,770 
			 2004 15,080 10,680 28,050 13,460 10,100 
		
	
	(45)Households found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in a priority need group during the year, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty by a local housing authority.
	Notes:
	1.Figures prior to 1997 reflect decisions under the 1985 Housing Act; decisions from 1997 were made under the 1996 Housing Act, plus residual 1985 Act cases.
	2.Regional figures may not sum to England totals because of rounding
	Source:
	ODPM P1E homelessness returns (quarterly)

Housing

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities in England have decided their stock options appraisal in favour of (a) stock transfer, (b) arm's length management organisation, (c) private finance initiative and (d) stock retention by the council; how many homes each authority has in each case; which authorities have yet to advise his office of their intentions; and how many homes they own in each case.

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities in England have decided their stock options appraisal in favour of (a) stock transfer, (b) arm's length management organisation, (c) private finance initiative and (d) stock retention by the council; how many homes each authority has; which authorities have yet to advise his Office of their intentions; and how many homes they own in each case.

Yvette Cooper: 73 local authorities have had stock options appraisals signed off by the relevant Government Office. The tables that show which options they have chosen have been made available in the Libraries of the House.
	192 local authorities were originally subject to the requirement to have an options appraisal signed off—either for all of their stock, or part of their stock for which a solution had not already been determined. Other authorities will have chosen an option prior to the introduction of this requirement. A further four local authorities have since been deemed to require an option appraisal for all or part of their stock.
	Some local authorities have opted for more than one solution for their stock and they are listed separately, with the options they have chosen, in the mixed model table. Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is never a whole stock solution, and so authorities who have chosen PFI are in this table.
	Where a local authority has had an option appraisal signed off for part of its stock, but requires an appraisal for the rest, it is listed in both the table for mixed model solutions and authorities yet to have appraisals signed off.

Housing

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on rent restructuring in the social rented housing sector.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister consulted on proposals last year and will announce a way forward in due course.

Housing

Anne Main: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether, in setting the housing targets for St. Albans (a) calculations of the volume of water supply available from aquifers, (b) the amount of water needed to supply existing and additional properties and (c) the impact of water extraction on local rivers, including the Ver, were (i) made and (ii) taken into account; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Future house building targets for St.Albans will be determined through the current review of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England. In making recommendations on the appropriate housing targets, the panel established to conduct the Examination in Public into the draft Regional Spatial Strategy will need to have regard to water supply constraints and any potential environmental impacts of supplying additional water.

Housing

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1) how many people who live within the Swale borough council area have (a) applied for funding and been successful, (b) applied and been refused funding and (c) applied and been put on a waiting list under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996;
	(2)  how much funding for housing Swale borough council has received in each financial year since the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 came into force.

Yvette Cooper: Government funding in support of Swale borough council's housing capital investment programme since 1996 has been as follows.
	
		£000
		
			  Supported Borrowing Disabled Facilities Grant Private Sector Renewal Grant Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 475 408 761 1,644 
			 1998–99 822 203 903 1,928 
			 1999–2000 841 223 824 1,888 
			 2000–01 1,464 242 0 1,706 
			 2001–02 1,270 240 0 1,510 
			 2002–03 1,238 276 0 1,514 
			 2003–04 987 420 0 1,407 
			 2004–05 1,176 420 0 1,596 
			 2005–06 1,222 412 0 1,634 
		
	
	From 2000–01 Government support for private sector housing renewal grants was no longer ring fenced and was included in the total for supported borrowing.
	The Government do not collect centrally the number of applications for renewal grants or information on waiting lists. The number and the total value of renewal grants under the 1996 Act completed in Swale in each year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		Private sector housing renewal assistance given in Swale (including DFGs)
		
			   Total number of grants completed Total local authority expenditure on grants (£000) 
		
		
			 1997–98 474 1,720 
			 1998–99 717 1,840 
			 1999–2000 679 1,971 
			 2000–01 309 1,138 
			 2001–02 306 1,225 
			 2002–03 244 851 
			 2003–04 263 1,093

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the local authorities that have been given an extension to the deadline of July to complete their stock options process.

Yvette Cooper: No extensions have been given to the deadline of the end of July to have stock options appraisals signed off by the relevant Government Office.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the local authorities which have set up arm's length management organisations; what the performance rating of each is; and how much each has received in financial support.

Yvette Cooper: Details for the arms length management organisations (ALMOs) set up under each of the first four rounds of the programme are set out in the following tables. ALMOs do not qualify for funding until they have achieved a two or three star rating from the Housing Inspectorate. 11 of the round 4 ALMOs have yet to be inspected.
	
		ALMO round 1 : programme announced 29 November 2001
		
			 Authority ALMO performance rating ALMO funding allocation 2002–06 (£ million) 
		
		
			 Ashfield 3* Prom 53.3 
			 Derby 3* Exc 97.1 
			 Hounslow1, 2 3* Exc 99.7 
			 Kirklees 2* Prom 149.8 
			 Rochdale1, 2 2* Prom 106.3 
			 Stockton-on-Tees1, 2 l* Poor 63.0 
			 Westminster 3* Exc 74.0 
			 Wigan 2* Prom 137.3 
		
	
	(46)Denotes the latest inspection result.
	(47)In their initial inspections Hounslow, Rochdale and Stockton-on-Tees all achieved 2* Prom.
	Note:
	Early ALMOs are in the process of re-inspection
	
		ALMO round 2 : programme announced 29 May 2002
		
			 Authority ALMO performance rating ALMO funding allocation 2003–07 (£ million) 
		
		
			 Barnsley 2* Prom 141.6 
			 Blyth Valley 2* Unc 48.3 
			 Bolton 2* Exc 132.5 
			 Brent 3* Exc 54.0 
			 Carrick 3* Unc 23.0 
			 Cheltenham 2* Prom 36.4 
			 Colchester 2* Prom 35.6 
			 Hillingdon 2* Prom 48.0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2* Exc 43.3 
			 Leeds : East(48) 2* Prom 14.7 
			 Leeds : North East 2* Prom 33.8 
			 Leeds : North West(48) 2* Prom 16.1 
			 Leeds : South East(48) 2* Prom 10.4 
			 Leeds : South(48) 2* Prom 22.6 
			 Leeds : West 2* Prom 58.2 
			 Oldham 2* Unc 86.4 
			 Waltham Forest(49) l* Unc 25.4 
		
	
	(48)Funding for 2005–07 yet to be confirmed.
	(49)Now withdrawn from round 2
	
		ALMO round 3 : programme announced 28 July 2003
		
			 Authority ALMO performance rating ALMO funding allocation 2004–06 (£ million) 
		
		
			 Barnet 2* Exc 19 
			 Easington l* Unc 23.6 
			 Gateshead l* Prom 63 
			 High Peak 2* Exc 4.7 
			 Islington 2* Exc 24.9 
			 Newcastle 2* Prom 64 
			 Poole 3* Prom 17.4 
			 Sheffield (partial) 3* Prom 49.7 
			 Solihull 2* Prom 21 
			 South Lakeland 2* Exc 4.2 
			 Warrington 2* Prom 18.3 
		
	
	
		ALMO round 4 : programme announced 5 May 2004
		
			 Authority ALMO performance rating ALMO funding allocation 2005–07 (£ million) 
		
		
			 Bassetlaw n/a 18.5 
			 Brent (partial) 3* Exc 14.0 
			 Bury n/a 8.6 
			 Baling n/a 64.0 
			 Eastbourne n/a 11.7 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2* Exc 78.1 
			 Manchester (partial) n/a 17.5 
			 Newark and Sherwood n/a 15.5 
			 Nottingham n/a 28.0 
			 Rotherham n/a 52.5 
			 Sandwell n/a 62.6 
			 Sheffield (partial) 3* Prom 70.5 
			 Slough n/a 11.5 
			 Wolverhampton n/a 42.2

Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) financial allocation and (b) out-turn expenditure of each of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder areas in England was in 2004–05.

Yvette Cooper: The details of the financial allocation and actual out-turn for Market Renewal Pathfinders for 2004–05 are set out in the following table:
	
		2004–05 -- £ million
		
			 Pathfinder Allocation Outturn 
		
		
			 Urban Living (Birmingham Sandwell) 14.850 13.649 
			 Elevate (East Lancashire) 22.840 22.840 
			 Hull and East Riding 2.640 2.640 
			 Manchester Salford 44.000 44.000 
			 Newheartlands (Merseyside) 34.350 34.350 
			 Bridging NewcastleGateshead 28.000 28.000 
			 Renew (North Staffordshire) 7.000 7.000 
			 Oldham and Rochdale 17.150 17.150 
			 Transform South Yorkshire 27.400 27.400

Local Government Finance

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what safeguards his Department (a) recommends to and (b) imposes upon local authorities to ensure probity and transparency when publicly-owned assets are sold.

Phil Woolas: Asset management guidance for local authorities is non-statutory and sets out in broad terms features of good management of assets. It does not cover issues of probity and transparency as authorities have an obligation to ensure that financial transactions comply with the law. Ultimately questions of probity in financial transactions are a matter for the District Auditor.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the (a) specific grants and ringfenced funding streams, (b) special grants and (c) non-ringfenced grants which the Government (i) allocated to local authorities in 2004–05 and (ii) expects to allocate in 2005–06.

Phil Woolas: The following table lists all grants allocated to local authorities in England in 2004–05 and grants allocated so far in 2005–06 within Aggregate External Finance (AEF) in addition to Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates. There are other grants outside AEF but these are not provided for an authority's core services and relate, in the main, to areas of funding which are passed on by local authorities, such as Learning and Skills Council grants for adult education and sixth forms.
	
		Amount (£ million)
		
			 Grant 2004–05 2005–06 Ringfenced 
		
		
			 Grants made under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 
			 Excellence in Cities 260.6 355.3 No 
			 Excellent and 3(50) Education 30.5 50.1 No 
			 Teachers Pay Reform 0.0 908.4 No 
			 Choice Protects 33.0 60.0 Yes 
			 Adoption Support and Special Guardianship 23.0 32.0 Yes 
			 Safeguarding Children 90.0 90.0 No 
			 Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation 32.4 32.4 Yes 
			 Change Fund 7.0 8.0 No 
			 Waste Re-cycling Challenge 90.0 45.0 Yes 
			 Waste Targeted Grant 20.0 0.0 No 
			 Waste Performance and Efficiency Pt. 1 0.0 40.0 No 
			 Waste Performance and Efficiency Pt. 2 0.0 5.0 Yes 
			 Fire Transitional Funding 28.3 0.0 Yes 
			 Fire Pay Verification 0.8 0.0 Yes 
			 New Dimension Crewing 0.0 16.0 No 
			 LFEPA Civil Contingencies 0.0 0.6 No 
			 Planning Delivery 130.0 116.0 No 
			 Planning Delivery (Capital) 32.5 39.0 No 
			 Supporting People Administration 48.1 40.0 No 
			 Rural Bus Subsidy 51.0 53.0 No 
			 Homelessness Strategies 45.4 42.9 No 
			 Homelessness Strategies (Capital) 14.0 0.0 No 
			 Private Finance Initiative 429.0 425.0 No 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 450.0 525.0 No 
			 LPSA Reward Grant(50) 101.0 196.0 No 
			 LPSA Reward Grant (Capital)(50) 126.0 233.0 No 
			 Arson Control Forum 4.3 4.2 No 
			 Community Fire Safety Innovation Fund 1.5 2.0 No 
			 Home Fire Risk Check (Capital) 5.0 5.0 No 
			 Grants made under other specific powers 
			 Standards Fund (excluding Excellent/3(50)) 1,316.0 1,402.7 Yes 
			 Sure Start General Grant 363.5 446.1 Yes 
			 Sure Start General Grant (Capital) 40.1 306.5 Yes 
			 Teachers' Pay Reform 825.6 0.0 Yes 
			 Leadership Incentive 195.9 202.1 Yes 
			 Education Action Zones 37.4 0.0 Yes 
			 Transitional Support 121.5 60.9 Yes 
			 School Standards 859.1 912.0 n/a 
			 UASC Leaving Care 12.0 12.0 Yes 
			 Carers Grant 125.0 185.0 No 
			 Training Support 53.3 0.0 No 
			 Improving Information Management (Capital) 25.0 25.0 Yes 
			 National Training Strategy 31.0 87.9 No 
			 Preserved Rights 458.3 348.2 No 
			 Residential Allowance 409.5 214.5 No 
			 Treatment Foster Care 3.0 3.0 Yes 
			 Children's Trusts 3.2 3.2 Yes 
			 Regional Development Workers 1.0 1.0 Yes 
			 Human Resources Development Strategy 23.9 59.8 No 
			 Access and Systems Capacity 486.0 584.0 No 
			 Children and Adolescent Mental Health 64.0 84.8 Yes 
			 Young People's Substance Misuse Planning 4.5 4.5 Yes 
			 Mental Health 133.0 132.0 Yes 
			 AIDS Support 16.5 16.5 Yes 
			 Delayed Discharge 100.0 100.0 No 
			 Police Grant 4,167.9 4,352.6 No 
			 Police Grant (Capital) 270.0 272.0 No 
			 Crime Fighting Fund 267.0 265.1 Yes 
			 Rural Policing Fund 26.0 25.6 No 
			 Neighbourhood Policing Fund 12.0 33.9 Yes 
			 Occupational Health 4.7 4.0 No 
			 Police Negotiating Board 48.0 66.0 Yes 
			 DNA 50.0 43.6 Yes 
			 Basic Command Units 48.0 47.7 Yes 
			 London and South East Allowances 49.0 55.0 No 
			 London Travel 3.0 3.0 No 
			 Community Support Officers 39.0 47.0 Yes 
			 Special Constables 6.6 0.0 Yes 
			 Street Crime Initiative 25.0 5.0 Yes 
			 Reform Deal 4.7 4.0 Yes 
			 Neighbourhood Wardens 19.0 8.1 Yes 
			 Supporting People 1,807.0 1,714.9 Yes 
			 Magistrates Courts 371.9 0.0 No 
			 Detrunking 33.3 37.0 No 
			 Bus Challenge and Kickstart 32.7 29.0 Yes 
			 Beacons 5.0 5.0 No 
			 Community Cohesion Pathfinder 0.4 0.0 Yes 
			 GLA General Grant 36.3 37.5 No 
		
	
	(50)LPSA Reward Grant—this is the maximum provision as specified in individual councils LPSAs, and allocations" will depend on performance.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average change in total Government grant per capita for (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) metropolitan councils, (d) unitary councils, (e) London boroughs, (f) fire authorities and (g) police authorities was in England in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Percentage
		
			  1998–99  to 1999–2000 1999–2000  to 2000–01 2000–02  to 2001–02 2001–02  to 2002–03 2002–03  to 2003–04 2003–04  to 2004–05 
		
		
			 London (excluding GLA) 6.0 6.7 4.4 4.7 12.3 2.4 
			 Metropolitan authorities 7.3 7.7 7.2 5.6 16.1 2.3 
			 Unitary authorities 6.5 8.1 6.3 6.3 16.5 0.3 
			 Shire counties 6.2 8.7 7.1 4.8 13.0 2.8 
			 Shire districts 1.8 3.1 4.5 5.1 10.7 8.5 
			 Fire authorities 3.6 2.3 3.0 2.4 4.5 42.8 
			 Police authorities 2.3 4.5 6.0 2.4 7.3 2.3 
		
	
	The data used to calculate the changes are taken from data as reported by local authorities; they are outturn figures for 1998–99 to 2003–04 and budget estimates for 2004–05.
	Changes between years may not be valid due to changing local authority responsibilities. For example, the decrease for fire authorities between 2003–04 and 2004–05 is due partly to the lower levels of grant per capita received by combined fire authorities compared with other fire authorities. Before 2004–05 grants were not paid directly to combined fire authorities and so these were not included in the figures for earlier years.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to increase the level of local taxation.

Phil Woolas: The level of the council tax in the coming financial years will depend on local authorities' spending decisions. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will work to ensure that improved local services are deliverable within the spending plans for local government. The Government will not hesitate to use the capping powers to deal with excessive increases.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to supporting local authorities in delivering improvements in key public services without unacceptable council tax rises. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will continue to work closely with local government to ensure that levels of central grant are based on a realistic assessment of service commitments pressures faced by local government. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is looking to local authorities to deliver further efficiency savings, and will introduce three-year settlements to provide greater predictability for local authorities.
	In the longer term, the Lyons Inquiry is looking to reform the system of local government finance to make it fairer and more sustainable.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to introduce unitary local government in England.

Phil Woolas: At present there are no plans to reorganise local government in England—the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is however aware that there is some interest in unitary local government and will listen carefully to the debate.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cases reported to the Local Government Standards Board in each of the last three years were disposed of (a) directly and (b) through reference to the adjudication panel; how many were found proven (i) by the Standards Board and (ii) by the adjudication panel; and how many were dismissed as unproven.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is shown on the following table.
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Allegations received (number) 2,948 3,566 3,861 
			 Disposed of directly(51)(number) 2,059 3,077 (53)4,169 
			 Referred to adjudication panel (number) 110 89 111 
			 Percentage where ethical standards officers' findings upheld 97 97 86 
			 Referred to local standards committees (number) (52)n/a 58 89 
			 Percentage where ethical standards officers' findings upheld n/a 95 94 
		
	
	(51)Cases which were either not investigated; or where no evidence of a breach of the code of conduct was found; or where no action was required in respect of the matters under investigation.
	(52)Regulations providing for referral to local standards committees were not yet in place.
	(53)NB: allegations received in year do not equal number disposed of or referred due to end of year carry-over of cases

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in how many cases the decision of the Standards Board and adjudication panel has been challenged in the courts (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully in each of the last three years.

Phil Woolas: Only one determination made by the adjudication panel for England was challenged in the courts in 2002–03. This was unsuccessful. There were no challenges in 2003–04. There were five challenges in 2004–05. Four of these were unsuccessful. The remaining challenge was partially successful in that the adjudication panel's finding was upheld but the sanction it had imposed was reduced.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average length of time was between a complaint being made to the Standards Board and (a) being found proven and fully disposed of and (b) being dismissed in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: This information is shown on the following table.
	
		
			 Average time 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Where cases were not investigated, or where no evidence of a breach was found, or where no further action was required (days) 24 22 13 
			 Where ethical standards officer conducted an investigation and made a finding that a breach of the code had occurred (months) 4.25 7.34 9.64 
		
	
	The lower average for the completion of those cases where a breach was found in 2002–03 reflected a number of relatively straightforward cases in that year, relating to parish councillors refusing to fill in a register of interests. The higher average in 2004–05 reflects the efforts the Standards Board made last year to clear a backlog of outstanding older cases.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated cost to public funds was of the Standards Board and Adjudication Panel case against Westminster City Councillor Mr. Paul Dimoldenberg; how long the case lasted, from the date of the complaint to Standards Board to the end of the adjudication panel hearing; what the outcome was; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Standards Board is unable to give precise costs for any one investigation. The precise cost of a case will depend upon a number of factors, such as its inherent complexity, the number of witnesses involved or extent of representations made by parties or their legal advisers.
	However, the Standards Board for England estimates that the current average cost to the board of an investigation into allegations of a breach of the code of conduct by members of relevant authorities is around £5,000 per case. The average costs of an adjudication panel hearing was £1,850 in the year 2004–05.
	The case concerning Councillor Dimoldenberg lasted for just under two years from the date of initial referral to the Standards Board. The outcome was that Councillor Dimoldenberg was found to have breached the code of conduct through disclosing confidential information, but no sanction was imposed.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much Westminster City Council has recovered from Dame Shirley Porter as a result of the findings of the District Auditor and House of Lords against her; what assessment he had made of the prospects for recovering sums due (a) prior to and (b) since 30 June 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no powers to intervene in this matter or to compel the parties to provide us with information.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effects of the operation of the Local Government Standards Board on individuals' willingness to stand for election as local government councillors; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware of evidence to suggest that the operation of the Standards Board has substantially impacted on individuals' willingness to stand as local councillors. Our consultation on the introduction of a code of conduct for councillors received strong support.
	The Government believe it is right that local councillors should observe certain minimum standards of conduct, and that the small number of councillors who behave in ways that are not compatible with high standards of public service should be subject to investigation and censure.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make provision for councillors facing serious complaints to the Standards Board under the Local Government Code of Conduct to receive financial support towards their legal costs; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Local Authorities (Indemnities for Members and Officers) Order 2004 provides for relevant authorities to indemnify members and officers for personal liability arising from actions or decisions taken by them in the course of their official duties.
	Among the circumstances in which an authority might decide to grant such an indemnity are where costs are incurred by a member in relation to the defence of proceedings under Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000, relating to allegations of breaches in the code of conduct for local authority members. Any such indemnity is limited by the Order to cases in which the member is found not to have breached the code. It is for authorities to decide whether they wish to provide indemnity in a particular case.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will require the Local Government Standards Board to exercise proportionality, by balancing the likely cost of an inquiry with the seriousness of the complaint, when investigating a complaint under the Local Government Code of Conduct; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Standards Board for England fully recognises the need for proportionate use of public funds in its handling of allegations received, while ensuring that all investigations are conducted thoroughly and with integrity. Only the more serious complaints are investigated, as well as those that may set important legal precedents or which have the potential to damage public confidence in local government.

Local Government Standards Board

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average cost of a Local Government Standards Board inquiry, including costs of any Adjudication Panel, were in each of the last three years, broken down by cases (a) found proven and (b) dismissed.

Phil Woolas: The average cost to the Standards Board of an investigation into allegations of a breach of the Code of Conduct by members of relevant authorities in 2003–04 was £4,145, and the average cost in 2004–05 was around £5,000. The average cost of an Adjudication Panel hearing in 2003–04 was £1,790, and in 2004–05 was £1,850. The information held by the Standards Board does not differentiate between cases where there were findings that breaches of the code were made, and where there were not. Information in respect of average costs of Standards Board investigations and Adjudication Panel hearings in 2002–03 is not available.

Lyons Review

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Lyons Review on the balance of funding will publish an interim report.

Phil Woolas: The terms of reference of the independent inquiry into local government funding ask Sir Michael Lyons to report to my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the end of 2005. Within those terms of reference it is a matter for Sir Michael to determine how he conducts his work.

New Deal for Communities

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many New Deal for Communities bodies have been created; and how many of these bodies have changed their chief executive in the first year of operation.

Phil Woolas: In total there are 39 New Deal for Communities partnerships (NDCs). 17 pathfinder partnerships were announced in 1998, followed by a further 22 second round partnerships in 1999.
	The table summarises the number of NDCs that changed their chief executive in the first year of operation:
	
		
			  Number of NDC partnerships 
		
		
			 Change of chief executive 2 
			 Temporary chief executive 2 
			 No change of chief executive 23 
			 Chief executive not appointed 7 
			 No records held 5

New Localism

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what definition he uses of the term new localism; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: There is no agreed definition for new localism. But the Government wish to see an enhanced role for local authorities acting as leaders of their communities.

Referendums and Elections

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role the Department plays in the administration of referendums and elections.

Phil Woolas: Following the machinery of Government change announced by the Prime Minister on 23 May 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for policy relating to when local government elections are to be held, the constitutions of the councils being elected, and to the way in which ward boundaries are to be determined and reviewed. The Department for Constitutional Affairs will be responsible for all arrangements for conducting elections including electoral registration and electoral modernisation. The Department for Constitutional Affairs will also sponsor the English and Welsh Parliamentary Boundary Commissions.

Regional Control Rooms (Fire/Civil Defence)

Roger Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to consult (a) fire authorities and (b) local government organisations prior to determining the locations of the proposed regional control rooms for fire and civil defence purposes.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We consulted stakeholders through the Practitioners Forum, and the chairs of all English Fire and Rescue Authorities, on the accommodation criteria in December 2003, before formally beginning the procurement process with an official notice in the Official Journal of the European Union in April 2004, and have involved key stakeholders at every stage, including the final moderation meetings held in February and March 2005. We expect to make an announcement soon.

Regional Control Rooms (Fire/Civil Defence)

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made in identifying suitable sites for the proposed new regional fire control centres.

Phil Woolas: We consulted stakeholders through the Practitioners Forum, and the Chairs of all English Fire and Rescue Authorities, on the accommodation criteria in December 2003, before formally beginning the procurement process with an official notice in the Journal of the European Union in April 2004, and have involved key stakeholders at every stage, including the final moderation meetings held in February and March 2005. We expect to make an announcement soon.

Regional Government Finance

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to redirect central Government spending away from the north of England to the east of England; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: No. Public spending is allocated to Departments through the Government's biannual Spending Review. Departments, in turn, allocate funds according to Government priorities and need. In making decisions about allocations, Ministers have regard to the views of regional and other stakeholders expressed through regional emphasis documents and other means.

Safer Stronger Communities Fund

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the forecast spending on the Safer Stronger Communities Fund is for financial years (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08.

Yvette Cooper: The forecast spending on the Safer Stronger Communities Fund for the financial years 2005–08 are as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  A minimum forecast 
		
		
			 (a) 2005–06 210 
			 (b) 2006–07 220 
			 (c) 2007–08 230

Shared Equity Plans

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the costs to the Exchequer in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, (c) 2007–08 and (d) 2008–09 of recently announced plans to assist homebuyers through shared equity plans; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme for 2004–06 around £420 million has been allocated for the current Homebuy loan scheme to provide both open market and new build properties for purchase. The new build properties will start on site in 2004–06.
	The regional allocations of the £5.5 billion for regional housing pot for spending in 2006–07 and 2007–08 were announced recently. Decisions on the amount of these resources to be used for shared equity schemes will be taken in the summer in the light of advice from regional housing boards. In addition English Partnerships are developing innovate solutions to equity sharing as part of their London Wide and First Time Buyers Initiatives. They are currently refining the business case and costings.
	Future funding and delivery of outputs from, 2008–09, will be influenced by the outcome of the next spending review in 2006.

Solent Gateway

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  which local authority areas fall within the Government's definition of the Solent Gateway;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on plans to make the Solent Gateway an urban growth area.

Yvette Cooper: There is a need for more homes to be built in the wider south east, to ease housing shortages which are making homes unaffordable and to encourage economic growth and regeneration in deprived areas. Local authorities across the wider south east recognise this need and are looking at how they can meet that demand. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognise that some of these communities will need Government support to plan ahead for long-term delivery, including help with the development of brownfield sites and local infrastructure problems, and wants to respond positively.
	Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have held an initial meeting with the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, which represents the local authorities in the Solent area, regarding their proposals for housing growth as part of their plans to build sustainable communities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be interested to receive any growth and regeneration proposals from the local authorities in the Solent area, along with others. These will also be an input to the South East Plan proposals, which will go to public consultation and then be tested by public examination before an independent panel, before consideration by the First Secretary of State. The Government have not proposed any local targets for housing growth in the Solent area, nor have they designated it as the Solent Gateway.

Solent Gateway

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with councils in Hampshire about Solent Gateway.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 24 May 2005
	There is a need for more homes to be built in the wider south east, to ease housing shortages which are making homes unaffordable and to encourage economic growth and regeneration in deprived areas. Local authorities across the wider south east recognise this need and are looking at how they can meet that demand. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognise that some of these communities will need Government support to plan ahead for long-term delivery, including help with the development of brownfield sites and local infrastructure problems, and wants to respond positively.
	Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have held an initial meeting with the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, which represents the local authorities in the Solent area, regarding their proposals for housing growth as part of their plans to build sustainable communities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be interested to receive any growth and regeneration proposals from the local authorities in the Solent area, along with others. These will also be an input to the South East Plan proposals, which will go to public consultation and then be tested by public examination before an independent panel, before consideration by the First Secretary of State. The Government have not proposed any local targets for housing growth in the Solent area, nor has it designated it as the Solent Gateway.

Street Wardens

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the guidance issued to round two street warden schemes whose funding ended in March on how such schemes should be funded once central Government support ended.

Phil Woolas: Copies of the guidance issued to round two street warden schemes whose funding ended in March 2005 has been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

HEALTH

Abortion

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government will implement the Science and Technology Recommendation No 77 in its report on human reproductive technologies and the law that there be a Joint Committee of both Houses set up to consider the scientific, medical and social changes in relation to abortion that have taken place since 1967.

Jane Kennedy: The Government is considering the Committee's report and will publish its response in due course.

Alzheimer's

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with doctors about the use of Reminyl, Aricept and Exelan for treating Alzheimer's disease; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Department's response to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's consultation on its review of the 2001 appraisal of Alzheimer's drugs was informed by advice from the Department's professional adviser on mental health services for older people. No other recent discussions between ministers and doctors have taken place on this issue.

Alzheimer's

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which drugs are available for prescribing to treat the effects of Alzheimer's disease; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Four drugs are licensed for the treatment of the effects of Alzheimer's disease: rivastigmine, galantamine, donepezil and memantine.

Alzheimer's

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Reminyl, Aricept and Exelen are available on free prescription for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; what plans she has to change the availability on free prescription of those drugs; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: We have no plans to extend the existing list of medical conditions that give exemption from prescription charges. The list has been reviewed on a number of occasions but no clear cut case for extending it has emerged. There is no consensus on what additional conditions might be included in any revised list of medical exemptions, or how distinctions could be drawn between one condition and another. Those Alzheimer's sufferers who are aged 60 or over are currently entitled to free prescriptions on grounds of age.

Audiology

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps are being taken to provide free hearing tests to those who need them;
	(2)  how many people have received a digital hearing aid on the NHS.

Liam Byrne: Hearing tests have always been available free of charge for patients referred to a national health service audiology department. If a patient thinks they are hard of hearing and might need a hearing aid, they should go to their general practitioner who will either refer them to an ear nose and throat clinic or send them to the audiology department at their local hospital to have a hearing test.
	Over 400,000 people have now received digital hearing aids on the NHS.

Breast Cancer

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the screening of all women diagnosed with breast cancer for HER2 positivity to be routine across the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: At present, Herceptin is only licensed in the United Kingdom for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, which affects around 11,000 women in England each year. We are aware that two major trials have recently indicated that Herceptin may also have an important role to play in the adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer though this is not yet a licensed indication.
	There is currently no national guidance about when in the patient pathway the HER2 test, which determines an individual breast cancer patient's suitability for treatment with the drug Herceptin, should be used. Decisions are made by clinicians, based on factors such as the extent of the disease, previous treatment experience, the patient's fitness and wishes and emerging evidence.

Cervical Smears

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time taken for a woman to receive the results of a cervical smear test was in each health authority in the last period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 26 May 2005
	The requested data are not collected centrally. We do collect the breakdown of notification of screening results within four weeks, four to six weeks and six weeks or more by strategic health authority (SHA), as shown in the table.
	Information about the time from the taking of a sample to the notification of the test result is currently available only where the result letter is sent by the primary care organisation.
	
		Notification of cervical screening result 2003–04
		
			   Percentage of results sent by primary care organisation where time from screening to notification was: 
			 SHA Percentage of all results sent by primary care organisation Less then or equal to four weeks More than four weeks up to six weeks Six weeks or more 
		
		
			 England 86 38 29 33 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 98 59 34 7 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 76 49 31 20 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 99 40 37 24 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 98 54 25 21 
			 Greater Manchester 96 26 26 48 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 96 61 9 30 
			 South Yorkshire 98 70 24 6 
			 West Yorkshire 90 38 30 32 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 87 50 37 13 
			 Trent 84 37 44 19 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 98 30 25 45 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 99 48 37 15 
			 West Midlands South 97 13 21 66 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 88 24 22 54 
			 Essex 95 47 27 26 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 88 30 36 34 
			 North Central London 64 25 32 43 
			 North East London 96 36 33 31 
			 North West London 92 11 16 73 
			 South East London 44 47 29 25 
			 South West London 92 27 23 49 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 75 28 43 29 
			 Kent and Medway 88 49 39 12 
			 Surrey and Sussex 92 38 22 40 
			 Thames Valley 88 31 29 40 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 68 66 19 15 
			 Dorset and Somerset 71 37 31 32 
			 South West Peninsula 31 21 38 41

Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospital

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans there are to update facilities at Charing Cross hospital;
	(2)  what plans there are to update facilities at Hammersmith hospital.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply Igave on 26 May 2005, Official Report, column 217W.

Chase Farm Hospital

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat measures she is taking to reduce waiting times at Chase Farm Hospital; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government are committed to reducing waiting times for treatment. The national health service, including Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust, is working towards achieving a maximum six-month wait for in-patient treatment and three months for an out-patients appointment by December 2005. By 2008, no one will have to wait longer than 18 weeks from general practitioner referral to hospital treatment.
	Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust plans to open a new £4 million surgi-centre at the end of June 2005. This will provide treatment to 3,000 patients a year and support the trust in achieving waiting time targets.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what treatment is available for people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis on the NHS;
	(2)  what her most recent estimate is of the incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis in (a) South West London, (b) London and (c) England;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the number of people in England who have chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis but are not registered as receiving treatment;
	(4)  if she will make a statement on funding for treatment for myalgic encephalomyelitis

Liam Byrne: Medical opinion differs on the most effective treatment for sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). In recognition of this, in 2004 the Department asked the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME. This work is expected to be published in 2007. The national health service is able to provide treatment for the range problematic symptoms often associated with this condition—for example sleep disorders, pain, anxiety, depression and stomach disorders.
	The three main treatments provided by the NHS specifically for CFS/ME are:
	Pacing—learning to effectively manage activity and energy levels.
	Graded activity—gradual but progressive increases in aerobic exercise.
	Cognitive behavioural therapy—helping recognise and change behaviours and beliefs which can impact on the illness.
	Data on the incidence and treatment rates of specific medical conditions such as CFS/ME are not collected by the Department. However, it is estimated that around 240,000 people in the United Kingdom suffer from CFS/ME.
	Local health professionals in primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for determining which health services their local populations require and ensuring the provision of these services. It is, therefore, the responsibility of individual PCTs to decide the level of funding they allocate to services for CFS/ME. However, in May 2003, the Department announced that additional funding of £8.5 million would be made available for services specifically designed for people with CFS/ME. This money will help develop clinical services where none currently exist, including 12 new centres and 28 local support teams solely for CFS/ME sufferers.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what referral mechanisms are in place for (a) South West London and St. George's NHS Trust and (b) Kingston Primary Care Trust to access chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis centres and support teams in the region; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The South West London and St.George's Mental Health Trust can refer patients to the chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) service based at the Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. For patients who are very disabled, specialist placement is funded by the relevant primary care trust (PCT) and is decided by their multidisciplinary placement panels, for which a psychiatric report is usually required.
	Kingston PCT can access the CFS/ME service, based in the Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. The PCT has a long standing service level agreement with the South London and Maudsley Mental Health Trust and Barts and The London NHS Trust.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision (a) South West London and St.George's NHS Trust and (b) Kingston Primary Care Trust have for chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis services; what specific funding they receive to deliver these services; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: I understand that South West London and St. George's National Health Service Trust refers patients to the chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) service, based in the Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. The South West London and St. George's Mental Health Trust does not receive specific funding for these services.
	Kingston primary care trust (PCT) has a services level agreement with the South London and Maudsley Mental Health NHS Trust and Barts and The London NHS Trust.
	Kingston PCT received £65,000 for the service at St. Helier hospital, which is accessed by general practitioner referral. This was part of the £8.5 million made available nationally for services specifically designed for people with CFS/ME.

Clinical Staff (Hertfordshire)

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she is taking to retain experienced clinical staff in Hertfordshire's NHS trusts; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are committed to working with all national health service employers to support the NHS to recruit and retain its workforce. This includes experienced clinical staff in Hertfordshire.
	A range of initiatives is being used locally by all NHSorganisations to retain their staff. These include Improving Working Lives and childcare.
	Improving Working Lives requires NHS organisations to commit to and deliver modern employment practices that support staff and enable them to have a healthy work-life balance. It covers a number of good practice areas, including training and development, equality and diversity, healthy workplaces, flexible working, and flexible retirement. The NHS childcare strategy is part of the Improving Working Lives programme, which also includes a number of discrete initiatives directly aimed at improving the working lives of doctors, such as the flexible careers scheme.

Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants were employed by her Department in each of the last three years; and what their names were.

Jane Kennedy: The Department does not centrally hold a record of numbers and names of individual consultants. Such information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Continuing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases have been subject to review as part of the NHS continuing care restitution review; how many were found to be eligible for NHS continuing care; how many of those not found eligible subsequently took their case to the Health Ombudsman; and what the result was in each case.

Liam Byrne: Details of the review's progress were presented to the House in a written statement by my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Dr.Ladyman) on 16 September 2004, Official Report, columns 175–76WS. Of the 11,655 requests for investigations received by 31 March 2004, 86.1 per cent. had been investigated, with 1,796 being found eligible for recompense. No later data are available. The Department does not collect data about the number of people who subsequently took cases to the Health Ombudsman.

Continuing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work her Department has undertaken to act on the recommendations of the Health Ombudsman in her two reports on NHS continuing care; and when she expects her Department to publish (a) national eligibility criteria and (b) an assessment methodology for NHS continuing care.

Liam Byrne: The Department's work programme in response to the Ombudsman's report was set out in a written statement by my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) on 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 108WS. Officials are working closely with stakeholders to form a national framework in response to the Health Ombudsman and expect to publish national eligibility criteria and suitable assessment methodologies in early 2006.

Dentistry

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to increase the number of NHS dentists in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) in Gloucestershire are working with local dentists, developing plans to increase national health service provision across the area. Twelve dentists have been recruited from abroad and are working in the NHS in Gloucestershire. Five of these dentists are from Poland and the remaining seven are from outside the European Union.
	Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire strategic health authority has received £2 million from access funding and the three PCTs in Gloucestershire have reported proposals to spend their share on commissioning additional capacity to provide for the registration of 7,100 patients and the treatment of 900 additional orthodontic patients. In addition, West Gloucestershire PCT is one of the 16 PCTs in England receiving assistance from the Department's dental access support team. With the team's support, a new dental practice has been established in Cinderford, in the Forest of Dean, and there are plans to establish a new four surgery practice within the centre of Gloucester City by mid 2005.
	Nationally we are currently undertaking the most far reaching reforms of NHS dentistry since 1948, supported by the biggest investment programme in the history of NHS dentistry. We are providing NHS dentistry with extra funding of over £250 million a year from 2005–06, an increase of nearly 20 per cent. over 2003–04 levels. We are also funding an extra 170 dental training places from this October, a 25 per cent. increase, supported by £80 million capital investment. Pending completion of the training of the additional students, we are, this year, recruiting the equivalent of 1,000 extra dentists and we have allocated £59 million to improve NHS dentistry.

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department will restart negotiations with the British Dental Association on the new general dental services contract.

Rosie Winterton: Departmental officials met the British Dental Association on 21 February 2005 and 16 April 2005 this year to discuss the national health service dentistry modernisation programme. A further meeting is currently being arranged.

Departmental Staffing

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in her Department (a) in 2004 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available to undertake policy work as part of the Valuing People" programme; what plans she has for future staffing levels; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 26 May 2005
	In May 2004, 11 staff worked on learning disability policy.
	The Department has reorganised the way it works in all policy areas and reduced in size in consequence. Policy on learning disability is clearly expressed and set out in the Valuing People" White Paper. As new policies need to be developed, extra resources will be brought in as necessary from a pool of staff that currently numbers 40. In both years, 14 staff in the Valuing People" support team have been responsible for supporting implementation of the policy. Currently four staff devote a proportion of their time to learning disability issues.
	The Department of Health and other Government Departments are undertaking a number of projects on wider areas of work. These include the adult services Green Paper, Independence Well-Being and Choice", the Prime Minister's strategy unit report, Improving Life Chances for Disabled People", the Mental Capacity Act implementation and the Supporting People" programme. These all benefit people with learning disabilities, although they are not exclusively for this client group.

Diagnostic and Treatment Centres (Private)

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the clinical innovations available in privately run diagnostic and treatment centres which are not to be found in any NHS hospital or diagnostic and treatment centre.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 23 May 2005
	Two early examples are the first ever mobile cataract units, which can travel the country serving areas with greatest demand; and the first national mobile scanning unit, which can serve all regions of England with need for magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Domiciliary Care (West Chelmsford)

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in West Chelmsford constituency who were receiving domiciliary care in 1997–98; and how many were receiving domiciliary care in West Chelmsford constituency on the latest date for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: At 31 March 2004, about 36,600 adults in Essex were helped to live independently at home through the provision of a variety of community-based social services. Community based services include day care, meals, respite care, direct payments, professional support, transport and equipment as well as home care. Corresponding data for 1997–98 are not available.
	The estimated number of households receiving home care in Essex in September 1997 and September 2004 was 13,000 and 12,200 respectively. The number of people in these households is not known for 1997. In September 2004, the estimated number of adults receiving home care was 12,300.
	Local government re-organisation took place on 1 April 1998, forming the unitary authorities of Southend and Thurrock and the reduced area of Essex. Hence, data for 1997 and 2004 are based on the boundary of the former County of Essex.
	Data for West Chelmsford constituency are not centrally available.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research her Department has commissioned into developing a therapy for Duchennemuscular dystrophy; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how much funding her Department has committed for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2005–06;
	(3)  what assessment her Department has made of the clinical trials being carried out in the development of a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: In 2004, the Department announced £1.6 million funding, from the Genetics White Paper, for a four year project which aims to address the cause of muscular dystrophy.
	The main part of the Department's expenditure on health research is allocated to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of individual projects supported in the NHS, including a number concerned with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, can be found on the national research register at www.dh.gov.uk/research.
	It would not be appropriate for the Government to make assessments of ongoing clinical trials.

End-of life Care

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to provide further services for end-of-life care.

Rosie Winterton: We are committed to the importance of patients being able to choose where they would prefer to live and die.
	We are providing an additional £12 million over next three years for the end of life care initiative. It will support staff working in general practices, care homes and on hospital wards so that all adult patients nearing the end of life, regardless of their diagnosis, will have access to high quality palliative care and be so able to choose where they are cared for.

End-of life Care

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the proportion of national health service expenditure that was spent on people in the final (a) month, (b) three months and (c) six months of their lives in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not hold information about the proportion of national health service expenditure spent on people in the final phase of their lives. It is for individual primary care trusts to decide the level of funding they allocate to palliative care services. The Government recognises that, although most people would prefer to remain at home, only about 20 per cent. of all patients achieve a home death.
	We are supporting strategies that enable more patients to exercise choice in where they are cared for and die and are funding specific initiatives in this area. These initiatives will enable more people to die in the place of their choice. These include an additional £50 million per annum for specialist palliative care, £12 million for end of life care and £6 million for integrated cancer care pilots.

Flixotide

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many yellow card reports have been recorded in relation to the drug Flixotide in the treatment of asthma in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many deaths have been recorded as caused by high doses of the drug Flixotide to treat asthma in each of the past five years;
	(3)  how many prescriptions for Flixotide have been provided in each of the last five years to (a) children and (b) adults for the treatment of asthma;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the safety of Flixotide in the treatment of asthma; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The table shows the number of prescriptions of Flixotide dispensed in the community in England in the last five years. The information has been taken from the prescripton cost analysis (PCA) system.
	
		Thousands
		
			  Number of items of Flixotide that have been dispensed 
			  (a) children (b) adults 
		
		
			 2000 330 1,360.0 
			 2001 360 1,370.1 
			 2002 340 1,298.9 
			 2003 280 1,131.3 
			 2004 230 1,004.0 
		
	
	There have been 529 yellow card reports of suspected adverse drug reactions associated with the drug Flixotide submitted since 1993. There has been one report of a suspected adverse drug reaction associated with high dose Flixotide, for which the outcome was fatal, in the last five years. The death occurred in 2001 and was reported to the yellow card scheme in April 2002.
	As with all medicines, the safety of the inhaled steroid medicine Flixotide (fluticasone) has been continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with expert advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) throughout its use in clinical practice. Concerns regarding possible side effects from high doses of fluticasone, and other inhaled steroids, led the then Medicines Control Agency to conduct an exhaustive review of the evidence for this in 1997. The CSM issued advice in a bulletin to healthcare professionals in 1998 about possible adverse effects of both inhaled and nasal steroids, especially when used in high doses and for prolonged periods. In addition, further advice specifically relating to adult doses of Flixotide was issued in 2001.
	The CSM conducted a further wide-ranging review of the issue of adrenal suppression caused by high dose inhaled steroids, such as fluticasone, in 2002, resulting in further strengthened warnings to prescribers and a reminder of the licensed doses of these products. The safety of Flixotide remains under continual review.

General Practitioners

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there are in (a) Hertfordshire and (b) England per head of population.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table. The latest available strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trust (PCT) population data is for 2003.
	
		All practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)(54) per 100,000 head of population for Bedford and Hertfordshire SHA by PCT, 2003–04 -- Number (headcount)
		
			   2003 2004 
			   All Practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) Population Practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) per 100,000 head of population Practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) Population All Practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) per 100,000 head of population 
		
		
			 England  30,358 49,855,700 61 31,523 50,056,900 63 
			 Q02 Bedford and Hertfordshire PCT 949 1,614,700 59 998 n/a n/a 
			 5GD Bedford 88 149,900 59 97 n/a n/a 
			 5GE Bedfordshire Heartlands 143 238,700 60 152 n/a n/a 
			 5GW Dacorum 92 138,000 67 92 n/a n/a 
			 5CP Hertsmere 48 93,800 51 50 n/a n/a 
			 5GC Luton 97 185,200 52 105 n/a n/a 
			 5GH North Hertfordshire and Stevenage 99 181,400 55 105 n/a n/a 
			 5GK  Royston, Buntingford and Bishops Stortford 39 71,000 55 41 n/a n/a 
			 5GJ South East Hertfordshire 104 163,900 63 103 n/a n/a 
			 5GX St. Albans and Harpenden 79 131,600 60 83 n/a n/a 
			 5GV Watford and Three Rivers 106 163,300 65 109 n/a n/a 
			 5GG Welwyn Hatfield 54 97,900 55 61 n/a n/a 
		
	
	(54)General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes contracted GPs, general medical service (GMS) others and personal medical service (PMS) others. Prior to September 2004, this group included GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, salaried doctors (para 52 SFA), PMS other, flexible career scheme GPs and GP returners.
	n/a=not available
	Data as at 30 September.
	Source:
	National Health Service Health and Social Care Information Centre GMS and PMS statistics.
	2001 ONS Population Census.

General Practitioners

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to increase the number of general practitioners in Hertfordshire; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: To underpin increased capacity in medical schools, we have introduced a range of measures that help the supply of general practitioners. Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire have a strategy to increase the recruitment, retention and training of GPs in the two counties, and are participating in the centrally funded GP flexible career scheme, which seeks to increase the number of flexible posts in general practice. In addition, other family friendly policies have been introduced, including access to childcare co-ordinators and better provision of childcare for primary care staff. These include funding through global sum for locum cover for GPs on maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
	Primary medical care contracts have been backed by a massive increase in investment, the scale of which will lead to higher quality and wider availability of services.

General Practitioners

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of general practitioner practices refuse to make advance appointments.

Liam Byrne: Latest monitoring data shows that 1.8 per cent. of general practices are continuing to deny patients any opportunity to book advance appointments. This is not acceptable practice and the Department is continuing to work with strategic health authorities to get primary care trusts to tackle the issue locally and ensure practices offer patients flexible as well as fast access.

Health Service Trust Deficits

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the financial deficit of York and Selby NHS primary care trust was on the latest date for which figures are available; what assessment she has made of the reasons for the accumulation of the deficit; and if she will provide assistance to the trust to enable it to eradicate the deficit without reducing the number of staff or the standard and availability of services;
	(2)  what the financial deficit of South Tees hospitals NHS trust was on the latest date for which figures are available; what assessment she has made of the reasons for the accumulation of the deficit; and if she will provide assistance to the trust to enable it to eradicate the deficit without reducing the number of staff or the standard and availability of local services;
	(3)  what the financial deficit of Craven, Harrogate and Rural districts NHS primary care trust was on the latest date for which figures are available; what assessment she has made of the reasons for the accumulation of the deficit; and if she will provide assistance to the trust to enable it to eradicate the deficit without reducing the number of staff employed or the standard and availability of local services;
	(4)  what the financial deficit of Teesside, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (TENYAS) was on the latest date for which figures are available; what assessment she has made of the reasons for the accumulation of the deficit; and if she will provide assistance to TENYAS to enable it to eradicate the deficit without reducing the number of staff employed or the standard and availability of local services.

Liam Byrne: Selby and York primary care trust (PCT) is forecasting an outturn deficit of £6.9 million in 2004–05. Craven, Harrogate and Rural district PCT is not forecasting a deficit for 2004–05. Tees and East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service national health service trust is forecasting that it will break even in 2004–05 having received planned brokerage of £2.6 million from the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority (SHA). The Selby and York PCT's three year (iterative) financial recovery plan was presented to the PCT board on 17 May 2005 and approved. The South Tees hospitals NHS trust is forecasting a deficit of £9 million as at 31 March 2005, as opposed to a mid-year forecast deficit of £12 million. In addition, £12 million brokerage has also been provided by County Durham and Tees Valley SHA. A detailed recovery plan is to be presented to the trust board meeting on 7 June.
	In the current financial year, allocations to PCTs in the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA area have increased by £135 million. Allocations to PCTs in the County Durham and Tees Valley SHA area have increased by £114 million.
	It is now the responsibility of SHAs to deliver both overall financial balance for their local health communities and to ensure each organisation achieves financial balance. However, there is a degree of flexibility in how this is managed at a local level. In circumstances where a surplus or underspend cannot be generated in the following year, SHAs can agree to a recovery plan which phases the recovery of deficits over a number of years.

Hepatitis C

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has commissioned on the rates of hepatitis C infection in prisons; and what measures she is taking to tackle the disease in prisons.

Rosie Winterton: The then Public Health Laboratory Service undertook an unlinked, anonymised survey of the prevalence of blood borne viruses amongst prisoners in England in 1997–98. This indicated that 9 per cent. of adult men, 11 per cent. of women and 0.6 per cent. of male young offenders had evidence of previous exposure to hepatitis C.
	The hepatitis C action plan for England (June 2004) envisages that prisoners, who are one of the priority groups identified within it, should have equal access to the full range of testing, diagnostic, assessment and treatment services that it specifies. The national health service is responsible for commissioning specialist health services in prison establishments in England.
	There is a strategy for preventing the spread of communicable diseases, including hepatitis C, in prison establishments that includes training, education, prevention, risk reduction and harm minimisation measures, such as the reintroduction of disinfecting tablets.

Herceptin

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when she expects the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to have completed its assessment of the anti-breast cancer drug Herceptin;
	(2)  if she will make dedicated funds available to NHS hospital trusts who wish to buy the anti-breast cancer drug Herceptin; and if she will make such funds available before the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has completed its assessment of the drug;
	(3)  how many NHS hospital trusts have applied to their drugs and therapeutics committees to buy the anti-breast cancer drug Herceptin.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has already produced guidance on Herceptin for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, which it is now reviewing as part of the development of clinical guidelines for breast cancer.
	Herceptin is not yet licensed in England for the treatment of early breast cancer. However, the Department is aware that there have been positive results from trials of Herceptin for the treatment of early breast cancer and is urgently considering referring Herceptin for the treatment of early breast cancer to NICE. The Department has made it clear that funding for newly licensed treatments should not be withheld because guidance from NICE is unavailable. In these circumstances, we expect primary care trusts (PCTs) to take full account of the available evidence when reaching funding decisions. Where the evidence is very strong, there is no reason to believe a PCT would refuse funding.
	The Department has no plans to make dedicated funds available to national health service for the purchase of Herceptin. We are putting record amounts of new investment into the NHS—between 2003 and 2008 NHS expenditure in England will increase on average by 7.5 per cent. each year. It is for PCTs to decide how best to spend these resources, taking into account local circumstances.
	The Department does not hold information on how many NHS hospital trusts have applied to their drugs and therapeutics committees to buy Herceptin.

Hospitals (Shropshire)

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent administrative staff have been employed at (a) the RJ and AH Orthopaedic hospital, Gobowen, (b) the Princess Royal hospital, Telford and (c) the Royal Shrewsbury hospital in the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: administrative staff by level in each specified NHS trust as at 30 September each specified year
		
			  Total specified staff Senior manager Manager Clerical and administrative staff 
		
		
			 2000 
			 Total specified organisations 682 16 42 624 
			 RKF The Princess Royal hospital NHS trust 200 2 19 179 
			 RLZ Royal Shrewsbury hospitals NHS trust 340 8 11 321 
			 RL1 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District hospital NHS trust 142 6 13 124 
			 RXW Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals NHS trust n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2001 
			 Total specified organisations 733 18 46 669 
			 RKF The Princess Royal hospital NHS trust 217 5 21 191 
			 RLZ Royal Shrewsbury hospitals NHS trust 369 8 13 348 
			 RL1 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District hospital NHS trust 146 5 12 130 
			 RXW Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals NHS trust n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2002 
			 Total specified organisations 866 24 42 801 
			 RKF The Princess Royal hospital NHS trust 249 6 20 223 
			 RLZ Royal Shrewsbury hospitals NHS trust 435 9 13 413 
			 RL1 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District hospital NHS trust 182 9 9 165 
			 RXW Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals NHS trust n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2003 
			 Total specified organisations 920 20 52 848 
			 RKF The Princess Royal hospital NHS trust 264 5 23 237 
			 RLZ Royal Shrewsbury hospitals NHS trust 456 8 12 436 
			 RL1 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District hospital NHS trust 200 7 18 176 
			 RXW Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals NHS trust n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2004 
			 Total specified organisations 968 42 47 880 
			 RKF The Princess Royal hospital NHS trust n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 RLZ Royal Shrewsbury hospitals NHS trust n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 RL1 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District hospital NHS trust 223 20 16 187 
			 RXW Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals NHS trust 745 22 30 693 
		
	
	Notes:
	n/a=not applicable.
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	2.Senior managers and managers are staff with overall responsibility for budgets, manpower or assets, or accountable for a significant area of work. Senior managers include staff at executive level and those who report directly to the board.
	3.These staff are essential to the smooth running of hospitals, trusts and strategic health authorities. This excludes nursing, scientific, therapeutic and technical and ambulance managers in posts requiring specific clinical qualifications.
	4.Clerical and administrative includes staff working in central functions. The group includes areas such as personnel, finance, information technology, legal services, library services, health education and general management support services.
	5.It also includes staff working as direct support to qualified clinical staff such as medical secretaries and medical records officers.
	Source:
	Health and social care information centre non-medical workforce census.

Hospitals (Shropshire)

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cases of MRSA there have been at (a) the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, (b) the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford and (c) the RJ and AH Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen in each of the last five years, in people aged over 65 years;
	(2)  how many cases of MRSA there have been at (a) the RJ and AH Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen, (b) the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford and (c) the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in each of the last five years, in people aged under 18 years;
	(3)  how many cases of MRSA there have been at (a) the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, (b) the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford and (c) the RJ and AH Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The mandatory surveillance system which collects data on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections commenced in April 2001 and gives data by national health service trust only and not by hospital. It does not collect information on age groups.
	The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital were separate acute trusts until October 2003, when they merged to form the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
	The Health Protection Agency is unable to provide updated MRSA rates for the two constituent hospitals prior to the merger, because revised bed occupancy rates for the two constituent hospitals are not available.
	The table shows relevant data for the years 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 and the first six months of the reporting year 2004–05.
	
		
			 Organisation and time period Number of MRSA bacteraemia reports MRSA rate per 1,000 bed days 
		
		
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 
			 April 2001 to March 2002 28 0.1 
			 April 2002 to March 2003 33 0.125 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 58 0.2 
			 April 2004 to September 2004 24 0.16 
			
			 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 
			 April 2001 to March 2002 1 0.02 
			 April 2002 to March 2003 1 0.02 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 7 0.12 
			 April 2004 to September 2004 2 0.07

Hospitals (Shropshire)

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the budget deficit has been of (a) the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and (b) the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the budget of the (a) Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and (b) the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford has been in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is as follows.
	Table 1 shows the total income for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital National Health Service Trust, the Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust and the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 
		
		
			 1999–2000 84,600,000 40,216,000 n/a 
			 2000–01 80,280,000 43,770,000 n/a 
			 2001–02 91,670,000 47,555,000 n/a 
			 2002–03 98,202,000 53,309,000 n/a 
			 2003–04 n/a n/a 161,897,000 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the retained surplus/(deficit) for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust, the Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust and the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
	
		Table 2
		
			  Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 
		
		
			 1999–2000 (646,000) (826,000) n/a 
			 2000–01 607,000 260,000 n/a 
			 2001–02 (494,000) (545,000) n/a 
			 2002–03 (1,889,000) (1,118,000) n/a 
			 2003–04 n/a n/a (791,000) 
		
	
	Note:
	The Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust merged in October 2003 to become the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. Accounts for 2003–04 were only received from the merged trust; it is not possible to show figures for the two predecessor trusts for that year.
	Sources:
	Audited summarisation schedules of the above trust 1999–2000 to 2003–04.

Intensive Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether guidance has been issued on the maximum permissible length of time between a patient being admitted to an intensive care unit and being reviewed by a consultant intensivist;
	(2)  whether NHS trusts are required to record delays in admission to intensive care units as critical incidents through their relevant incident monitoring system.

Liam Byrne: The Department has not issued guidance on the length of time between admission to an intensive care unit and review by a consultant intensivist. In terms of more general guidance on the management of admissions and discharges for critical care services, national health service trusts are expected to take into account the Department's current guidance issued in May 2000, Comprehensive Critical Care—A Review of Adult Critical Care Services" and standards developed by the Intensive Care Society. The Department's guidance can be found at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/28/72/04082872.pdf

Levonelle-2

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the drug Levonelle-2 is licensed for women under the age of 16 years.

Jane Kennedy: Levonelle-2(c) is a prescription-only medicine licensed for emergency contraception that is available only under medical supervision. The licence does not specify a lower age limit for women but health care professionals are expected to satisfy themselves that treatment is in the patient's best interests and that she understands the advice she is receiving.

London Air Ambulance Service

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will require the Barts and the London NHS Trust to report to her (a) why the London air ambulance service is advertising for charitable donations, (b) what the cost was of the London air ambulance service in each of the last three years, (c) how many helicopters the service has, (d) how many staff are required to man the service and (e) whether the service operates 24 hours a day; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Air ambulances are provided through charitable organisations and therefore financial relationships between individual national health service trusts and charities will vary. The information requested is not held centrally.
	The Department informed ambulance services and their commissioners in January 2002 that the cost of clinical staff on air ambulances should, from 1 April 2002, be met by the NHS on a continuing basis.

Maternity Services (HIV Treatment)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her Department will issue guidance to the NHS that antenatal and maternity services, including HIV treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission, must be made available to all women, regardless of their immigration status or ability to fund the treatment.

Liam Byrne: A person who has formally applied for asylum is entitled to national health service treatment without charge for as long as their application (including appeals) is under consideration, including treatment for HIV and antenatal and maternity services.
	Guidance on how to handle the provision of maternity services to women not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom is contained in the document, Implementing the Overseas Visitors Hospital Charging Regulations: Guidance for NHS Trust Hospitals in England", issued to all trusts in April 2004.
	In response to a recommendation from the HealthSelect Committee in its recent report, New Developments in Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Policy", the existing guidance was re-issued to trust overseas visitors managers on 16 May 2005. This confirmed that, because of the seriousness of potential risks to mother and baby, maternity services should be treated as immediately necessary treatments and provided without delay. This could include HIV treatment if considered clinically appropriate.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the total number of people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (a) aged under 16 years and (b) aged between 16 years and 18 years, have been detained on adult psychiatric wards in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not centrally available. Placing adolescents on adult psychiatric wards is sometimes necessary and acceptable for clinical and practical reasons. The children's national service framework (NSF) sets a standard that:
	'... young people who require admission to hospital for mental health care have access to appropriate care in an environment suited to their age and development'.
	It advises that if a bed in an adolescent unit cannot be located for a young person, but that admission is essential for the safety and welfare of the user or others, then care may be provided on an adult ward for a short period.
	The Government is committed to delivering the standards set out in the children's NSF.

Multiple Sclerosis

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with multiple sclerosis therapy centres about the cost of Healthcare Commission inspections; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I have had no such discussions.

Myeloma

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the availability of treatments for myeloma; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure equal provision of drugs and other treatments for myeloma.

Rosie Winterton: Treatments available for multiple myeloma are listed in the British National Formulary, which can be found at www.BNF.org
	When a patient is being treated by a hospital, the consultant can arrange for the supply of any drug or substance, even one not normally available on a national health service prescription, provided the primary care trust (PCT) or NHS trust agrees to supply it at NHS expense.
	In the case of recently licensed treatments, the Department has made it clear that funding should not be withheld because guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is unavailable. In these circumstances, the Department expects PCTs to take full account of the available evidence when reaching funding decisions.
	The Government are committed to providing high-quality cancer services across the country, irrespective of cancer type. NICE has been commissioned to continue the Improving Outcomes" series of guidance to ensure there is a comprehensive package of cancer services guidance covering all cancers.
	The NICE guidance, Improving Outcomes in Haematological Cancers", was published in October 2003 and addresses multiple myeloma.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the consequences for cancer patients of the delays to the scheduled appraisal programme for 2006 of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence;
	(2)  why the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has insufficient funds to carry out its scheduled appraisal programme for 2006.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has made no specific assessment. It is sometimes necessary for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to reschedule its appraisals for a variety of reasons. In August 1999, the Department issued Health Service Circular 1999/176, which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the technology first becomes available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of the available evidence.
	NICE'S funding for 2005–06 is £29.9 million. The Department does not accept that NICE has insufficient funds to deliver its programme of work.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans her Department has to introduce a fast track National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraisal process to ensure cancer patients no longer have to wait for long periods before those treatments have been appraised;
	(2)  what plans her Department has to reduce the time it takes for National Institute for Clinical Excellence to appraise treatments that have shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials and licensed for use in the UK; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans her Department has to reduce the time it takes for National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to appraise vital cancer treatments; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation, which develops its guidance after careful consideration of the available evidence and in consultation with stakeholders. The process by which it develops its guidance is a matter for NICE. Its processes have been developed through wide consultation, are transparent and have been endorsed by the World Health Organisation. NICE reviews its processes regularly in order to identify opportunities for efficiencies in the way they are applied.
	NICE can only issue guidance on treatments that are licensed for use in the United Kingdom.

Neonatal Care

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish the Government's response to the Neonatal Intensive Care Review consultation.

Liam Byrne: The neonatal intensive care review group was an expert group convened by the Department. Its findings were the subject of a consultation, which ended in July 2003. While there are no plans to publish a response to that consultation exercise, we have incorporated many of the lessons learned from it into the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services, published last year.

Neonatal Care

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average occupancy rate for neonatal units was in each year since 2002.

Liam Byrne: The occupancy rates in neonatal and children's beds were 59.7 per cent. in 2001–02, 59.6 per cent. in 2002–03 and 61.3 per cent. in 2003–04. For beds in neonatal intensive care wards the occupancy rates were 70.5 per cent. in 2001–02, 69.7 per cent. in 2002–03 and 72.7 per cent. in 2003–04. We do not yet have any figures for 2004–05.
	Source:
	Department of Health KH03 returns

NHS Administrators (Pay Rates)

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrators working in Hertfordshire NHS trusts receive pay in excess of £100,000 per annum; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the pay ranges for administrative and clerical staff, jointly working in national health service trusts in Hertfordshire, are shown in the table.
	
		Salary and earnings for administrative and clerical staff on national(55) pay-scale, August 2002 -- £
		
			  Average annualised actual Average full time annualised(56) Lower quartile(57) Upper quartile(57) 
		
		
			 Salary 14,300 14,000 11,400 16,100 
			 Earnings 15,300 14,800 11,800 16,200 
		
	
	(55)Or their equivalents. Staff on local pay-scales are not included.
	(56)Data uprated to reflect what would be earned should each individual work on a full time basis.
	(57)Based on full time annualised salary and earnings.
	Notes:
	1.Figures rounded to the nearest 100.
	2.The NHS earnings survey information is based on payroll data taken from a sample of approximately 50 per cent. of trusts during August.
	Source:
	Department of Health earnings survey.

Nurses

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the (a) pay and (b) working hours of nurses in the national health service.

Liam Byrne: In 2005–06, national health service nurses are subject to the last year of a three-year pay deal. The nurses and other health professions review body will review the pay rates of nurses for 2006–07 in due course. There are no plans at present to review the standard working week of 37.5 hours per week excluding meal breaks established by the Agenda for Change" agreement in November 2004.

Nursing Homes

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average change in the fees charged by private sector nursing homes was in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005;
	(2)  what her assessment is of the effect regulations relating to nursing homes introduced in the last five years have had on fees charged by nursing homes; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Department does not collect information on care home fees. However, for-profit nursing home fees between March 2000 and March 2004, from Laing and Buisson's Care of Elderly People Market Survey 2004", are shown in the tables.
	Private sector nursing homes are free to set their own prices. Price increases therefore reflect considerations such as the firm's required rate of return, as well as costs including the cost of other standards designed to protect users and their families. Local social service departments and the national health service pay for over two thirds of the cost of residential care, and significant extra resources have been made available as well.
	Funding for social services has increased by 6 per cent. a year over the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06. These increases follow a 20 per cent. increase in the level of funding for social services between 1996–97 and 2002–03. This enables local councils to contract with providers at realistic prices.
	
		Average weekly fees—private homes for older people, United Kingdom -- £ per week
		
			  March 
			 For-profit homes 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Nursing single room 387 399 427 464 508 
			 Nursing shared room 356 370 393 421 436 
			 Nursing weighted average 379 393 421 457 496 
		
	
	
		Year on year change in average weekly fee level, United Kingdom -- percentage
		
			 Financial year April to March 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Nursing single room +3.5 +6.4 +7.9 +7.4 
			 Nursing shared room +3.4 +5.6 +7.1 +7.4 
			 Nursing weighted average +3.5 +6.0 +7.8 +7.4

Ophthalmic Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to begin the review of general ophthalmic services.

Rosie Winterton: We are preparing for the review and will make an announcement shortly.

Pharmaceuticals

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her latest estimate is of the gross (a) gain and (b) loss to the UK economy of parallel trade in pharmaceuticals; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: In terms of the impact on national health service expenditure, information is not routinely collected on the source of products, but from the data currently available, the Department estimates that parallel imports saves the NHS in England approximately £60 million per year in the community sector. No estimate is available for the hospital sector.
	Parallel importing is legal within the European Union. The United Kingdom parallel import licensing scheme allows medicinal authorised products in other EU member states to be marketed in the UK, provided the imported products have no therapeutic difference from the equivalent UK products.
	The medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) liaises closely with the relevant competent authorities to obtain the necessary information to ensure that only those products which fully comply with the stringent criteria for parallel import are granted a licence. This information is published at monthly intervals on the MHRA website at www.mhra.gov.uk

Primary Care Trusts (Leeds)

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in funding has been determined for Leeds primary care trusts for 2006 to 2008.

Liam Byrne: The latest round of primary care trust (PCT) allocations was announced on 9 February. The table shows the amounts allocated to Leeds PCTs.
	
		
			 Primary care trust 2006–07 £000 Increase £000 Increase (Percentage) 2007–08 £000 Increase £000 Increase (Percentage) 
		
		
			 East Leeds 212,695 15,872 8.1 230,027 17,332 8.1 
			 Leeds North East 192,073 14,345 8.1 207,743 15,670 8.2 
			 Leeds North West 208,941 17,117 8.9 228,463 19,522 9.3 
			 Leeds West 145,982 10,896 8.1 157,882 11,900 8.2 
			 South Leeds 192,333 14,372 8.1 208,252 15,919 8.3

Prisoner Screening

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to screen all prisoners on reception into prison for (a) hepatitis B and (b) hepatitis C.

Rosie Winterton: All prisoners are given a health screening on first reception into custody to identify any who have immediate health needs or who are at a high risk of having a significant health problem. However, as in all other health settings, they are not compulsorily screened for blood borne viruses. The possibility of being tested for blood-borne viruses is likely to be raised with them on a number of subsequent occasions such as during health and drug education programmes, when seeing a drugs worker or while being counselled about hepatitis B vaccination. If, as a result, a prisoner requests a blood test, one will be arranged according to national health service guidelines.

Ritalin

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been prescribed Ritalin in each of the past 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not available in the form requested. The Department does not hold data on the number of people who receive medication. However, 359,100 prescription items of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride were dispensed in the community in England in 2004. Ritalin is one brand of the drug Methylphenidate, and accounted for 19 per cent. of the total number of items.
	In 2004, it is estimated that around 90 per cent. of the 359,100 prescription items were dispensed in the community to children (children under 16 and young people aged 16 to 18 in full-time education). This proportion has been similar in recent years.
	The table shows the total number of prescription items, in thousands, of the chemical entity Methylphenidate Hydrochloride that were dispensed in the community in England from 1995 to 2004, by product.
	
		Number of prescription items in thousands
		
			  Product Total for 
			  Ritalin Concerta Equasym Methylphenidate (generic) Others chemical entity Methylphenidate Hydrochloride 
		
		
			 1995 14.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.7 
			 1996 47.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 47.9 
			 1997 92.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 92.1 
			 1998 126.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 126.6 
			 1999 157.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 158.0 
			 2000 181.3 0.0 4.9 0.0 0.0 186.2 
			 2001 180.6 0.1 27.7 0.1 0.0 208.5 
			 2002 161.8 44.6 47.0 0.4 0.1 254.0 
			 2003 124.5 134.9 54.5 0.3 0.2 314.5 
			 2004 67.8 189.2 34.1 67.6 0.3 359.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority

Ritalin

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been issued to (a) general practitioners and (b) consultants on the prescribing of Ritalin to children.

Jane Kennedy: Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is an amphetamine-like medicine, which is authorised as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged six years and older where remedial measures alone prove insufficient. It has controlled drug status, which imposes restrictions on prescribing and handling.
	Guidance on prescribing and use of methylphenidate is provided in the summary of product characteristics (SPC) for health professionals and the British National Formulary issued to all doctors. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has also issued guidance on the use of methylphenidate for ADHD in childhood.
	Both the SPC and NICE guidance include recommendations that treatment with methylphenidate should be under the supervision of a specialist in childhood behavioural disorders, children on methylphenidate should receive regular monitoring and treatment with methylphenidate should be periodically discontinued in order to assess the child's progress and the need for continuing with the medicine.
	As with all medicines, the safety of methylphenidate is closely monitored by the Medical Healthcare products Regional Authority and the Committee on Safety of Medicines to ensure that prescribing guidance is accurate, up-to-date and supports the safe use of medicines.

Streptococcus Testing

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1) if she will make it her policy to provide group B streptococcus testing on the NHS near the end of pregnancy; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what advice her Department has given to health care professionals on group B streptococcus testing during pregnancy;
	(3)  what research her Department has conducted into group B streptococcus testing during pregnancy.

Jane Kennedy: The current position is that routine screening of group B streptococcus should not be offered to all pregnant women. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guideline on antenatal care states that:
	Pregnant women should not be offered routine antenatal screening for group B streptococcus because evidence of its clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness remains uncertain".
	The United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) has commissioned an electronic learning resource for health care professionals from the national electronic library for health to promote the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' guideline on prevention of early onset neonatal group B streptococcal disease.
	The NSC is also considering further research needs. As part of this, it has asked the health technology assessment programme to undertake two studies:
	Prenatal screening and treatment strategies to prevent group B streptococcal and other bacterial infections in early infancy: cost effectiveness and expected value of information analyses.
	Prenatal screening for group B streptococcal disease: protocol development for a possible clinical trial.

Tuberculosis

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prisoners were diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not routinely collected from prison establishments on the number of prisoners diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis.